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Scottish Bannocks or Oatcakes

50m
Serves 1
https://branawen.blogspot.com/2011/05/celtic-cookery-beltane-bannocks-bread.html#google_vignette

Directions

  1. 1Combine oatmeal, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
  2. 2Melt the butter, and drizzle it over the oats.
  3. 3Add the water, and stir the mix until it forms a stiff dough.
  4. 4Turn the dough out on a sheet of wax paper and knead thoroughly.
  5. 5Separate the dough into two equal portions, and roll each one into a ball.
  6. 6Use a rolling pin to make a flat pancake that is about ¼" thick.
  7. 7Cook your oatcakes on a griddle over medium heat until they are golden brown.
  8. 8Cut each round into quarters to serve.
  9. 9Sieve the flour and sugar into a bowl, add the yeast and mix well.
  10. 10Melt the butter and lard in a saucepan on a low heat.
  11. 11Remove as soon as it is melted.
  12. 12Warm the milk in another saucepan and then pour it into the melted fats.
  13. 13Create a hole in the middle of the flour, sugar and yeast and mix well into a smooth dough.
  14. 14Cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel (or plastic clingfilm) and leave in a warm location for 45 minutes.
  15. 15The dough will rise, doubling in size.
  16. 16Knead the dough (with flour on your hands to stop it sticking) for five minutes.
  17. 17Add the sultanas and mixed peel and knead well again for another five minutes.
  18. 18Place the dough in a loaf tin and cover with a plastic pollythene bag (tied at the top) and leave in a warm place for 20 minutes to allow it to rise again.
  19. 19Remove the tin from the bag and bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4 for an hour.
  20. 20Mix the tablespoon of milk and sugar.
  21. 21Remove the cake tin from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface.
  22. 22Brush the top with the milk and sugar, using a pastry brush.
  23. 23Return the cake tin to the oven (using oven gloves - it's still hot) and bake for another twenty minutes.
  24. 24Test with a skewer - if it is wet, continue baking for another ten minutes.
  25. 25Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing.
  26. 26Store in an airtight container.
  27. 27Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and combine: 4 cups sifted flour, 1/2 cup ground almonds, 2 cups sugar, 1 tube almond paste, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 5 eggs.
  28. 28When dough is worked to medium soft, shape into flattened balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  29. 29Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  30. 30Cool, ice with white Solar Cross.
  31. 31Prepare and pre-bake a pie shell and have it ready in the pie dish.
  32. 32The pie filling will be warmed but not baked.
  33. 33Melt the butter in a wide cooking pan.
  34. 34In a separate bowl slowly add the milk to the cornstarch making sure it is fully dissolved and absorbed before adding more milk.
  35. 35When the cornstarch is fully blended add this and all the other ingredients, except the vanilla, to the cooking pan.
  36. 36Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick like a pudding.
  37. 37Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  38. 38Pour the mixture into the waiting pie shell and sprinkle with nutmeg

Ingredients

  • 1.5 C oatmeal
  • 0.125 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup hot water
  • 1 lb flour
  • 8 oz sultanas (seedless white raisins)
  • 4 oz sugar
  • 2 oz butter
  • 2 oz lard
  • 2 oz chopped mixed peel
  • 0.25 pint milk
  • 0.25 ounce dried yeast
  • 1 tablespoon milk and sugar for the glaze
  • 4 cups sifted flour
  • 0.5 cup ground almonds
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tube almond paste
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup rich cream
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 0.14 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ground nutmeg

Equipment

bowlrolling pingriddlewax paperloaf tinpastry brush

Tips

  • Traditionally, the Beltane bannock would have been made with meat fat, such as bacon grease, instead of butter.
  • You can use this if you prefer.
  • To serve, split the bannocks and spread with butter.
  • They’re excellent with soups or with a big dollop of honey.
  • You could try this as a single loaf.
  • I also like to make an almond biscuit with biscuit mix, almond extract, sugar, cinnamon, and eggs, but in smaller proportions.
  • Traditionalists will use a heavy cast iron pan.
  • the pie may be eaten while it is still warm as long as it has cooled just enough to set.
  • Or the pie may be chilled and eaten later

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