The Fife bannock is a traditional bread of Scotland. I like to think of it as Scottish soda bread. This is the perfect wee recipe for quick and easy bread that requires no yeast or rising time, contains basic pantry ingredients and kids can make it with you.
Scottish Soda Bread
Bread may well be the staff of life. But it was the humble bannock that fed the Scottish nation for a great many years.
Bannocks
Unlike bread, bannocks can be ‘baked’ on the hob as opposed to the oven. So even armies on the move could rustle up their ‘daily bread’ whilst on the move.
Bannocks are very similar in makeup to oatcakes. But they are much lighter and more like bread in texture. They are in fact a soda bread. Once tasted I’m quite sure bannocks will become part of your baking repertoire.
Easy no yeast bread
There is no yeast involved in making a Fife Bannock (or Scottish Soda Bread). Instead, good old Bicarbonate of Soda is used as your raising agent. You also do not need to leave this dough to rise. This Scottish soda bread packed with healthy oats is therefore a quick way to make bread.
Can you use plain flour to make soda bread?
I always make this simple Scottish soda bread using plain flour. However, if you want to use a mix of wholemeal flour or just use all wholemeal flour then that’s fine too.
I wouldn’t use bread flour for soda bread though.
Can you make soda bread in a pan on the hob?
You have a choice with this wee recipe. Either bake the soda bread in the oven at 180C for about 15 minutes on a baking tray or bake on a griddle/girdle (aka a heavy-based frying pan) on the hob until browned on either side.
How long will it keep?
This Scottish soda bread/Fife Bannock will keep for a couple of days wrapped in baking parchment/cling film.
Will it freeze?
Yes. You can freeze your Scottish soda bread/Fife Bannock wrapped in baking parchment and cling film for up to three months.
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Scottish Soda Bread aka Fife Bannock
Karon Grieve
A Fife Bannock is a form of yeast free soda bread and is super easy to make either on the hob or in the oven
preheat oven to 180C if using and grease a baking tray
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar into a large bowl
Add the oatmeal and mix well and rub in the butter
Add as much of the buttermilk or plain yogurt as you require to form a dough
Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly
Pat it into a round shape and press down till it is about 1cm thick all over and make a deep cross to form quarters
If baking place on prepared baking tray and into oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean
If using the hob place your bannock either in a hot girdle/griddle or in a flying pan (or hotplate of Aga) and brown on underside the turn over and do the other side
cool on a wire rack
Notes
You can make this simple soda bread either on the hob in a heavy-based pan or in the oven.
I use plain flour for this recipe though you could use a mix of plain and wholewheat flour if you prefer.
My Top Tips*Always read the full recipe first. *Assemble all your ingredients and everything you need before you start. *For baking check the size of tins I’m using as this makes a big difference to your cakes. * I use medium sized eggs unless otherwise stated. * I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated. * I use unsalted butter unless otherwise stated. * Check out My Preserving Kit!
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The whole purpose of kneading bread dough is to form a network of gluten fibers. However, in soda bread where gluten is not needed, these filaments just make the bread tough. To avoid chewy bread, chose a low-protein (and therefore low-gluten) flour.
In Scotland, a bap is a favorite morning bread roll. There's also a popular fish filling – battered and fried mackerel fillets are served in a bap with tartare sauce for a sandwich called mackerel bap, but beware – mackerel is no longer considered sustainable, so decide for yourself if you want to indulge in it or not.
The Irishmen learned to adapt to this climate by growing soft wheat that is lower in gluten. The type of flour from this wheat is not compatible with the yeast to make the dough rise; thus, they use baking soda instead to make the famed Irish Soda Bread.
Both types of bread use flour and contain refined carbohydrates. Sourdough bread would be considered healthier in the fact that it is a fermented food with lower gluten levels, making it easier to digest.
It's important to remember no to overmix your ingredients. Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread, similar to a scone, but can easily become dry if overmixed. Quickly add the wet ingredients to a well you've made in the dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a dough hook until it just comes together.
If you've ever tried Irish soda bread and not liked it, don't go running off yet! Chances are good that the bread you ate suffered from one of three common problems: improper amount of baking soda (a gross, salty-bitter taste), over cooking (a dry, chalky texture), or undercooking (a soggy, doughy center).
The oldest recipe for soda bread, widely syndicated from Ireland's Newry Times in 1836, says the dough was "as soft as could possibly be handled...the softer the better." Thirteen years and 180 miles down the road, the Waterford Times described it as "wetter than pie crust, too stiff to pour, but not stiff enough to ...
Seriously, as with all breads that do not have yeast, you won't want to overwork your dough. If you feel like you have to knead the dough together, don't knead more than 5-6 times, max. Too much kneading will create a hard dense crumb on the bread.
So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.
Yet, all Welsh responders said they use this term for the end of a sandwich loaf as well. Some Czechoslovakians call it "patka" which roughly translates to "flap" or "strap" in English. In Scotland, it's called "doorstep," the "outsider," or the "knobby."
Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-work the dough the bread will end up tough.
You don't have to wait hours or overnight for a rise, either. In fact, you don't even need to wait at all: Dough for Irish soda bread can go right into the oven after making.
The most traditional doneness test calls for thumping the hot bread in the center to hear if it's hollow-sounding. A more foolproof indication is temperature; the loaf will register 200°F to 205°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the center of the bread.
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread made in many cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of yeast. The basic ingredients of soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
Ireland, for one, has embraced it's kind of bread – the soda bread. It is a basic staple among the Irish that they call it Irish Soda Bread. It's common to see the locals pair this famous bread with a bottle of Guinness too.
Soda bread in Ireland, which you may see referred to as brown soda bread, tends to be heartier, more rustic fare, featuring wholemeal flour, a different product than our whole-wheat flour. The currant- and caraway-studded version is more common in the United States.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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