Sluttishly Simple: Bannock

Last week my very lovely Scottish friend was tweeting away about the Bannock she had made that day and, of course, being the nosey parker that I am I had to find out what this mysteriously named baked product was all about. Within 10 minutes I had discovered that a Bannock is basically a large scone and a potential recipe had arrived in my inbox. 

On further investigation I discovered that Bannock can refer to a variety of recipes that all share one thing in common, it looks kind of flat and a bit domed. Rather vague isn't it? But the beauty of the Bannock is that it is entirely adaptable. You can make like the Devon and Cornwall folk and serve up big slices of Bannock with butter, jam and a dollop of clotted cream. Or you could take the savoury route like my Scottish friend and add cubes of cheddar and apple to mix. Plus, it is really simple to make and rather speedy too - a winner for weekend quick-fix baking. I made this one with my baby sisters and they loved it. 

Bannock (for 8 portions)

You will need:

• 250g Self-Raising Flour
• 90g Butter, cubed
• 1tsp Salt
• 1½ tbsp Caster Sugar
• 200ml Milk
• 1 egg, beaten

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a baking sheet with a crumple of baking paper.
2. Rub together the flour and butter in a large bowl until you reach a breadcrumb-like consistency.
3. Pop in the salt and sugar to the mixture and stir.
4. Slowly add the milk to the mixture, stirring. Combine well until you get a stick dough.
5. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and with floured hands carefully shape into a flat-ish dome shape. Take a knife and score into 8 wedges going at least halfway into the dough.
6. Place the dough on baking sheet and give it a quick brush with the beaten egg.
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove when it is a deep golden brown colour.
8. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Optional extras: You could add a sprinkle of cheese and dried herbs to make this a savoury bannock. Or stir in some currants, raisins or dried fruit. Get creative!