Barley Bannock Recipe - barley flour

Method

• Wipe the surface of a griddle with a little vegetable oil.
• Sift the flours, salt and cream of tartar together into a large bowl.
• Add in the butter and rub into the flour till it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Mix the buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda together.
• When the mix starts to bubble add in to the flour.
• Mix together to create a soft dough.
• Don't over-mix the dough or possibly it will toughen.
• On a floured surface pat the dough out to create a round about 2 cm () inch)
• thick.
• Mark the dough into 4 wedges, using a sharp knife, if you prefer.
• Heat the griddle till warm.
• Cook the bannock on the griddle for about 8-10 min per side over a gentle heat.
• Don't cook too quickly or possibly the outside will burn before the centre is cooked.
• Cold the bannock slightly on a wire rack and eat while still hot.
• Bannocks are flat loaves about the size of a dinner plate.
• They are traditionally baked on a griddle or possibly girdle (that is the preferred name in Scotland).
• Barley flour adds a wonderfully earthy flavour to the bread.
• If you can't locate buttermilk then use soured lowfat milk instead.
• Stir 1 tsp.
• of lemon juice into 175 ml (6 fl ounce) lowfat milk and set aside for an hour to sour.
• If you find the earthy taste of barley flour too strong, reduce it to 50g (2 ounce) and increase the plain flour to 110g (4 ounce).
• Alternatively, replace half the barley flour with fine oatmeal.