To make a larger quantity of bannocks, it's better to make up more than one batch of the mixture rather than doubling the ingredients because as the mixture cools it gets harder to work with - too much moisture is absorbed and the bannock dough won’t stay doughy enough and they'll crumble too easily. Warming the bowls and utensils prior to making up the mixture helps to keep the dough more workable.

Ingredients¹

4oz medium oatmeal, plus extra for the work surface
2 tsp melted fat (or dripping – bacon, poultry and especially goose fat are said to give the best results, but butter will do)
2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
3 or 4 tbsp hot water
Optional - Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or mixed spice work well with a tablespoon sugar/honey added to sweeten to taste
Optional – try candied peel, dried berries, currants, raisins or sultanas or any other types of fruit with a tablespoon or so of sugar/honey to sweeten

Method

1. Prepare a work surface with plenty of oatmeal (fallaid) for turning the dough out onto later.

2. Heat the pan to make sure it's ready for the bannocks.

3. Melt the fat and then start heating the water on a low heat.

4. Mix the oatmeal, salt, bicarbonate of soda and any optional ingredients into a bowl and make into a mound in the middle with a well pressed into it.

5. Pour the hot fat into the well, and fold the meal mixture gradually into it, stirring sunwise.

6. Now add as much hot water as is needed to make a stiff paste – still working the mixture in a sunwise direction. As you add the water say:

Progeny and prosperity of family
Mystery of Michael, protection of Trinity²

Work quickly from this point on because the dough will be hard to work with once it cools and the meal has a chance to absorb the moisture.

7. The amount of dough makes enough for one thick family bannock (so you'll need to make another batch for the individual bannocks), or enough for a thinner family bannock and four or five individual bannocks.

8. For the thick bannocks, mould the dough into a cone shape and then press it out into a round cake shape and either cut into four farls, or make an impression to cut the four farls (or more) if you prefer to cook it whole. Add as much fallaid as needed to help prevent it from sticking. For individual bannocks, you can make them farl shaped or round. As you make each bannock, say:

Progeny and prosperity to ________ (whoever it’s for – person or family name)
Mystery of Michael, shielding of the Lord³

Then skip to step 12.

9. For thinner cakes, split the dough in half an turn them out onto the oatmeal surface, rolling them into cone shapes. Add more oats if necessary to prevent any sticking, but don’t add too many because the more oats you add the more the moisture will be absorbed and then your bannocks will be too dry and brittle.

10. Roll the balls out flat, about a quarter of an inch thick, adding as much meal as will stick.

11. Use one ball to make the large family bannock, cutting to shape with a plate and then quarter it into four farls. Then use the other ball to make the individual bannocks. As you make each one, say:

Progeny and prosperity to ________ (whoever it’s for – person or family name)
Mystery of Michael, shielding of the Lord

12. Any bannocks that break are traditionally considered to be an ill omen and are not used.

13. Use any remaining dough to mop up the fallaid and roll into a cone shape as before, in the palms of your hands. Add a little extra warm water if necessary to get all the meal and flatten the dough into a thick bannock in the palm of your hands.

14. Make a hole in the centre of the bannock using your forefinger - or get a child to do it if you can, as was traditional. This bannock is not meant to come into contact with metal, but that's not necessarily feasible these days. Once cooked, you can keep it for use as a charm, give it to the child that helped make it, as a treat, or leave it as an offering to the Good Folk.

15. Fry the bannocks on a low heat in a lightly greased pan (using butter or a little of the fat) for three minutes each side (for the thinner bannocks) or until the sides have curled up slightly; or bake in the oven on a lightly greased baking tray at 190C/375F/Gas mark 5 until they're cooked (about 30 minutes for the thinner oatcakes).

16. Serve while they are still warm with lots of butter and a generous dod of sheep’s cheese, or jam/jelly.

Adding the caudle as a glaze

This method is based on a description of how the struan Micheil was made in Barra, which McNeill says was used in “more recent times.”⁴ Here they used barley instead of oats, but oatmeal is usually easier to find these days, so that’s what I’ve stuck with. This was presumably a large bannock rather than the smaller individual ones, and was usually preserved as a special cake given to guests.

NB: A pint of milk is apparently 16 fl oz in Britain, but 20 fl oz in America. Here I mean the British pint.

Ingredients

1 pt milk, or half milk/half double cream
1 egg
2 tbsp oatmeal
2 tsp sugar
plain flour to thicken

Method

1. This is best made while the bannock is already in the oven baking.

2. Heat the milk and oatmeal, stirring well, until the mixture simmers.

3. Add the salt and sugar and continue heating for a few minutes to allow the mixture to thicken, stirring well.

4. Spoon in the plain flour gradually to gain a thick batter consistency.

5. Allow to stand until the bannock is cooked.

6. Add a thick layer of the caudle to the bannock (about a quarter of an inch thick) and return to the oven, baking until brown.

7. Repeat the process two more times, then turn the cake over and add three layers to that side as well, then serve.

Alternatively, a simpler method would be to make up a glaze using one large egg, one tablespoon of milk or cream, and one teaspoon of sugar. Whisk together and apply to each side just before you cook them - in the oven or pan.

 References