Other than being a simple flat bread, there are no hard and fast rules about how to make bannock. It can be made with or without leavening. It can also use any sort of grain flour as the main ingredient. There’s even a variety of options about whether to bake or fry it. With this versatility, it’s no surprise that bannock can take many forms and that there’s some version of it in cultures throughout the world. So without further ado, here are 3 ways to prepare Bannock.
1. Baked
A very popular method to prepare bannock involves baking it, which can easily be adapted for use with a dutch oven. The most common ingredients for this approach include plain flour, baking powder, oil or grease, salt, and water. With the exception of water instead of milk, this is nearly identical to basic biscuits. The keys to success are to keep the proportion of baking powder to flour at about one tablespoon to two cups, respectively, and to allow the dough to bake thoroughly before the surface starts to burn by keeping the heat fairly low. In addition to the basic ingredients, everything from sugar to cinnamon to nuts to blueberries, raspberries, or raisins can be thrown in for a sweeter taste.
2. Fried
In Native American cultures, bannock is sometimes made with cornmeal instead of flour. Often, the leavening agent is left out too. In some versions, the dough is spread thin in a skillet and fried until browned. This technique resembles the original Scottish form that used grounded barley or oats without leavening and was poured over a heated flat stone to bake. Some tribes will also prepare bannock by forming it into thicker cakes and deep frying it.
3. Stuck
One of the more unique ways to prepare bannock relies on wrapping it around a stick and roasting it over hot coals, much like you would a marshmallow. As with other bannock recipes, the dough should have a thick, modeling clay-like consistency for easy handling. If a wooden stick is used, heat it first so that it bakes the interior of the bannock. Then a long, thin rope of dough can be wound around the stick and roasted while rotating evenly.
Featured Image from Brian Glowacki/Shutter Stock
