Blueberry Bannock for Breakfast
Breakfast. Hmm. What to do? Cold cereal? Not appealing. Omelette? Appealing, but too fussy. Blueberry pancakes? Ah, that has possibilities. Wait, wait, wasn't there a Cherry-Studded Scone recipe in Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads? Could that be bent just a bit to feature blueberries instead of cherries? Why yes, yes it could!
And so it was:
And so it went:
And it was very good.
If you don't have that particular recipe to work with, you can kludge your favorite scone recipe thusly: Clayton's recipe calls for about 2 cups of flour, 1/3 of which is whole wheat. I'm sure that oat or barley flour would also work in lieu of the whole wheat. Half the dough is patted out in a 9-inch round on a floured or parchment lined baking sheet. The top is covered with (in this case) blueberries. I'm not sure how much because I didn't measure; maybe a cup? The second half of the dough is patted out into another 9-inch round on the countertop, then lifted and deposited carefully on top of the berries. Clayton recommends scoring the top surface for 12-16 slices; I didn't bother, figuring that I was going to cut a wedge the size I wanted afterwards, anyway. It is then washed with an egg that has been beaten (you'll use perhaps half). The whole thing is popped into a 400F oven for 20 minutes, or until it is a golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Slice. Serve. Enjoy.
Paul
Comments
more Scotch than Irish whisky to my apprentice. That is a Beautiful Blueberry Breakfast Bannock which has to taste as good as it looks! The name alone, said 3 times fast, is great for my apprentice to continue learning her second language of Scotts Irish English. Now i know what to do with the quart of blueberries we have sitting in the fridge.
Nice bannock Paul!
but ethnicity is a rather slippery concept in that corner of the world. The Irish (especially in Northern Ireland) are still unhappy with the British Crown's seizure of property and subsequent installation of Scots and English settlers in the early 1600's as a means of putting down the rebellious Irish chieftans. And we all know how well that worked, in the long run!
However, the Romans recorded the emergence of a people who came from (what is today) Ireland to (what is today) Scotland, starting in the 6th century A.D. The Romans referred to these people as the Scoti; hence today's name of Scotland. In effect, one diaspora provided the human fodder for another forced migration a millenium later. That, plus other events, eventually led to a flood of Irish and Scots-Irish emigrants who wound up in (what is today) the United States.
So, pour whichever libation you please, because my thoroughly mixed up ancestry can probably stake a claim to both.
And yes, the bannock, or scone if you prefer, is a wonderful use for blueberries.
Paul
Looks great Paul.
It tasted good, too.
Paul
Whatever. Looks like a fabulous breakfast. -Varda
Some use the terms interchangeably. Others refer to the larger round as a bannock and the wedge-shaped sections cut from it as scones. Or farls. You can see where this is going...
Paul
I was 12 years old, and preparing for the Cooking merit badge. I made it in a cast iron skillet over an open fire.
Your's looks a whole lot better than my memory of mine, but I was equally as satisfied.
I don't think I ever made it again. Think I'll follow your lead.
Nice!
David G
in a CI DO. Can't remember how old but about 12 I would think. Still have the badge somewhere. I think it was a little dark on the bottom - just like it is 50 years later when i make it that way :-)
if only because your baking skills are much better now than they were when you were 12. Plus, the oven in your kitchen is probably much more predictable than a skillet over an open fire. Although, if you are wistful for the scent of wood smoke, you might feel that something is missing.
Give it a shot, David. I imagine a person could riff with some blackberries or other summer berries, too.
Paul