Traditional Scots Recipes – Baking

Oatmeal Cakes

Oatmeal was a staple of the Scottish diet and has been described as "the backbone of many a sturdy Scotsman." It was used in many ways - porridge, oatcakes, brose (oatmeal and peasemeal) and scones. Here is a recipe for a sweet oatcake which is more like a biscuit than a conventional oatcake.

Ingredients:
Teacup of medium oatmeal
Teacup of plain flour
Half teacup of milk
Tablespoon of soft brown sugar
3 oz butter or margarine
Level teaspoon salt
Level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

Method:
Sieve the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, add the oatmeal and mix. Cut the butter or margarine into small portions and rub into the mixture with your fingers. Add the sugar and mix well. Pour in the milk and mix until you have a stiff but workable dough.

Shake some flour on a worktop, turn the dough onto it and shake a little flour on the top. Roll out thinly (about half an inch thick) and prick over with a fork. Cut into rounds with a scone cutter and place on an oiled baking tray. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15/20 minutes at 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4. Use a palette knife to lift the biscuits onto a wire coming rack. Store in an airtight tin.

Drop Scones/Scotch Pancakes

There are many traditional Scottish recipes which are well worth trying out. Here is one which even children can make!

Ingredients:
8 oz plain flour
5 teaspoons of caster sugar
standard egg
¼ pint (135ml) of milk
level teaspoon of cream of tartar
level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
salt

Method:

Heat a girdle or heavy based frying pan and lightly grease. Sift flour, salt, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda together and mix in the caster sugar. Create a well in the centre and add the egg and some of the milk. Slowly mix the flour into the egg and milk, adding more milk as you go, until you have a mixture which has the consistency of thick batter.

Drop a small amount of batter onto the greased girdle or pan - bubbles should rise to the top in a few seconds, if it is the right temperature. Drop in enough mixture to make individual small scones. When the underside is brown (and bubbles are bursting on the top) turn over and cook the other side. You may need to re-grease the pan after each batch.

Serve warm with butter and honey or jam/jelly. Or try buttering them and sprinkling with light brown sugar!

Cheese Scones

This is a tasty variation on the standard scones which are served at tea time.

Ingredients:
6oz (180g or 1½ US cups) self raising flour
1oz (30g or ¼ stick) butter
1 large egg
2 or 2½ tbsp milk
4oz (125g or one stick) grated cheese (use whatever strength you prefer)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp mustard powder
Cayenne pepper to taste

Method:
Mix the flour, salt and pepper together. Rub in the butter and then mix in the cheese. Beat the egg and add in the milk; add mixture to the dry ingredients to make a soft, elastic dough. Roll out the mixture on a floured surface but not too thinly. Cut into round shapes and place on a well greased tray. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle a little extra cheese and pepper on top.
Bake in a pre-heated oven on a high shelf at 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7 until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

Oatcakes/Bannocks

Oatcakes are a very traditional part of the Scottish diet. They were cooked on a griddle (a flat iron pot placed over the fire) but nowadays a heavy frying pan is used.

Ingredients
4 oz (125g) medium oatmeal
2 teaspoons melted fat (bacon fat, if available)
2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 tablespoons hot water
Additional oatmeal for kneading

Method
Mix the oatmeal, salt and bicarbonate and pour in the melted fat into the centre of the mixture. Stir well, using a porridge stick if you have one and add enough water to make into a stiff paste. Cover a surface in oatmeal and turn the mixture onto this. Work quickly as the paste is difficult to work if it cools. Divide into two and roll one half into a ball and knead with hands covered in oatmeal to stop it sticking. Roll out to around quarter inch thick. Put a plate which is slightly smaller than the size of your pan over the flattened mixture and cut round to leave a circular oatcake. Cut into quarters (also called farls) and place in a heated pan which has been lightly greased. Cook for about 3 minutes until the edges curl slightly, turn, and cook the other side. Get ready with another oatcake while the first is being cooked.

An alternative method of cooking is to bake them in an oven at Gas5/375F/190C for about 30 minutes or until brown at the edges. The quantities above will be enough for two bannocks about the size of a dessert plate. If you want more, do them in batches rather than making larger quantities of mixture. Store in a tin and reheat in a moderate oven when required.

Gingerbread

This is another popular cake which is found in tearooms across Scotland. This particular version makes a very moist version.

Ingredients:
4oz (100g or 1 stick) margarine
4 oz (100g or half cup) soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon treacle (molasses)
6oz (150g or 1½ cups) plain flour
2oz (50g or half cup) oatmeal
1oz (25g or quarter cup) bran
3 level teaspoons of ground ginger
1 level teaspoon mixed spice (allspice)
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 eggs
2 fluid ounces (50ml or quarter cup) milk
4 fluid ounces (100ml or half cup) orange juice

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas Mark 3 (reduce the temperature by 10C or equivalent if a fan assisted oven).

Mix the flour, bran, spices and soda together in a bowl. Put the milk and orange juice in another container and lightly beat in the eggs. Put the margarine, sugar and treacle/molasses in a saucepan on a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the dry ingredients and then add the eggs/milk/juice mixture.

Pour the mixture into a 2lb loaf tin lined with baking parchment and bake for around 40 minutes. Alternatively, if you want to make iced gingerbread squares, put the mixture in a 9" (23cm) square, lined tin and bake for 35 minutes. When it's cold, use 8oz (250g or one and a quarter cups) icing sugar (frosting) and enough water to make a thick, spreadable icing.

Shortbread

There are as many recipes for shortbread as sand on the seashore. While it is particularly associated with bringing in the New Year it is certainly popular in Scotland throughout the year.

Ingredients:
6oz (150g) plain flour
4oz (100g) soft butter
2oz (50g) caster (granulated) sugar
1 oz (25g) cornflour (cornstarch)

Method:
Mix the butter and sugar together (preferably with a wooden spoon) until it is pale and creamy. Sieve both the flour and the cornflour into the bowl and mix well. Put a small amount of flour on your working surface and place the dough on this. Shake a little flour on top and roll out about quarter inch thick. Prick with a fork and cut into rounds with a cutter or, if you want one large shortbread round, pinch the edges with thumb and finger all round.

Use a palette knife to lift the shortbread onto an oiled baking tray and bake for 25 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 325F/170C/Gas Mark 3. If the biscuits are ready, they will be pale brown and crisp; if not, return to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes. Shake a small amount of caster/granulated sugar on the top of the shortbread immediately after they have been removed from the oven. Use a palette knife to move them to a cooling rack and store in an airtight tin once they are cold.