Scottish Oatmeal Bannocks

Makes 4 large bannocks

These bannocks are lovely soft, thick cakes made of oatmeal and flour.  They differ from oatcakes which are thinner and more crispy.  They are wonderful served warm with a warm bowl of hearty soup.

A girdle is traditional for making bannock; you can use a large heavy frying pan but it is rather more difficult to flip the bannocks unless you use a bendy spatula which can push down the sides of the frying pan.

If you cannot find buttermilk, you can use sour milk made by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to regular milk and leaving it to stand for 5 minutes.

Ingredients

175g/6 oz plain flour, sifted

200g/7 oz medium oatmeal

1 teaspoon salt

25g/1 oz butter

1 rounded teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 ½  teaspoons cream of tartar

250ml/9 fl oz buttermilk or sour milk

Method

Mix the flour, oatmeal and salt in a bowl.

Over a gently heat, melt the butter and honey.

Stir the bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into the milk, then tip this, together with the melted butter mixture, into the flour.  Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, lightly butter a girdle (griddle) and heat over a medium heat until hot.  Tip the mixture on to the girdle and spread out to form a circle, about 25cm/10 in diameter.

Leave to cook for about 5-6 minutes until the underside is set, then cut with a knife into quarters.  Now carefully flip the quarters over.  Lower the heat to medium – low and continue to cook until done – about another 7 -8 minutes.

Remove the bannocks to a wire rack to cool slightly.  Serve warm, split and spread with butter.