'BLACK BUN'
Black bun is traditionally eaten in Scotland at Hogmanay and often at Burns' Suppers. It is a richly fruited loaf cake, made with good Scots whisky and encased in rich pastry.
Make a pastry of
8 oz plain flour
4oz butter
pinch salt
Filling
8 oz plain flour
1teaspoon cinammon (ground)
1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 lb stoned raisins
1 lb currants
2 oz chopped mixed peel
4 oz almonds ('nibbed' we say, broken into pieces, but not in thin flakes)
4 oz brown sugar
1 egg beaten with 4 tablespoons of milk
quarter pint of whisky
beaten egg yolk to glaze
Sift flour, spices, cream of tartar and bicarb mix in a large bowl. Mix in the raisins, currants, nuts, peel and sugar. Add egg/milk mixture and whisky. Stir everything together to get the mixture amalgamated.
Use either an 8 inch cake tin or a large loaf tin and grease really well. Use two thirds of the pastry to line the base and sides of the cake tin.
Fill with the mixture, packing it down well, and use the remaining third of pastry to make a lid. Make sure you moisten the edges of the pastry and the lid and that you ensure that the filling cannot escape. Using a long bladed knife, make 4-6 holes in the bun through the lid, all the way to the bottom of the mix.
Glaze with egg yolk. Bake at Gas Mark 4, 180C 350F for 2.5 to 3 hours. If the top looks as though it is getting too well done, just use kitchen foil to cover. Store in an airtight tin.
Black bun is traditionally eaten in Scotland at Hogmanay and often at Burns' Suppers. It is a richly fruited loaf cake, made with good Scots whisky and encased in rich pastry.
Make a pastry of
8 oz plain flour
4oz butter
pinch salt
Filling
8 oz plain flour
1teaspoon cinammon (ground)
1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 lb stoned raisins
1 lb currants
2 oz chopped mixed peel
4 oz almonds ('nibbed' we say, broken into pieces, but not in thin flakes)
4 oz brown sugar
1 egg beaten with 4 tablespoons of milk
quarter pint of whisky
beaten egg yolk to glaze
Sift flour, spices, cream of tartar and bicarb mix in a large bowl. Mix in the raisins, currants, nuts, peel and sugar. Add egg/milk mixture and whisky. Stir everything together to get the mixture amalgamated.
Use either an 8 inch cake tin or a large loaf tin and grease really well. Use two thirds of the pastry to line the base and sides of the cake tin.
Fill with the mixture, packing it down well, and use the remaining third of pastry to make a lid. Make sure you moisten the edges of the pastry and the lid and that you ensure that the filling cannot escape. Using a long bladed knife, make 4-6 holes in the bun through the lid, all the way to the bottom of the mix.
Glaze with egg yolk. Bake at Gas Mark 4, 180C 350F for 2.5 to 3 hours. If the top looks as though it is getting too well done, just use kitchen foil to cover. Store in an airtight tin.
