SELKIRK BANNOCK
This cake-like teabread is very popular in the Borders, and every bakery sells their own version of this tea-cake. Other Borders towns such as Peebles and Jedburgh dispute that the bannock should be 'claimed' by Selkirk, saying that in fact it was invented in their town, not in Selkirk!
125g butter
125g lard
300ml tepid milk
25g fresh yeast or 12g dried
½ tsp sugar
900g sifted flour
450g sultanas, slightly warmed
225g sugar, slightly warmed
125g candied orange peel (optional)
a little milk and sugar mixed for glazing
Recipe
Heat the butter and lard until soft. Add the warmed milk and set aside. Cream the yeast with the ½ teaspoon of sugar, the milk and butter mixture and let the yeast go to work for about 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, make a well in the centre, and add the yeasted liquid. Sprinkle in the flour from the sides of the well to the centre so that it bubbles through and makes a batter. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Knead well for 5 minutes then add the fruit with the remaining sugar and the peel. Knead for a further 5 minutes. Knead into a round flattish shape, cover and leave again in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Bake in a medium oven 350F/Gas mark 4 for about 1 hour. Take out the bannock and brush it with the milk and sugar mixture to glaze, then return it to the oven for a further 15 minutes. To test if it is cooked tap the bottom of the bannock – it should sound hollow. Leave on a cooling tray before storing in an airtight container. I usually leave half to eat now, and freeze half!
Eat a slice, spread with good butter and or some home-made jam, with a nice cup of Earl Grey tea. Heaven!
This cake-like teabread is very popular in the Borders, and every bakery sells their own version of this tea-cake. Other Borders towns such as Peebles and Jedburgh dispute that the bannock should be 'claimed' by Selkirk, saying that in fact it was invented in their town, not in Selkirk!
125g butter
125g lard
300ml tepid milk
25g fresh yeast or 12g dried
½ tsp sugar
900g sifted flour
450g sultanas, slightly warmed
225g sugar, slightly warmed
125g candied orange peel (optional)
a little milk and sugar mixed for glazing
Recipe
Heat the butter and lard until soft. Add the warmed milk and set aside. Cream the yeast with the ½ teaspoon of sugar, the milk and butter mixture and let the yeast go to work for about 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, make a well in the centre, and add the yeasted liquid. Sprinkle in the flour from the sides of the well to the centre so that it bubbles through and makes a batter. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Knead well for 5 minutes then add the fruit with the remaining sugar and the peel. Knead for a further 5 minutes. Knead into a round flattish shape, cover and leave again in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
Bake in a medium oven 350F/Gas mark 4 for about 1 hour. Take out the bannock and brush it with the milk and sugar mixture to glaze, then return it to the oven for a further 15 minutes. To test if it is cooked tap the bottom of the bannock – it should sound hollow. Leave on a cooling tray before storing in an airtight container. I usually leave half to eat now, and freeze half!
Eat a slice, spread with good butter and or some home-made jam, with a nice cup of Earl Grey tea. Heaven!
