Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: kendogbaggio on August 20, 2009

Title: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on August 20, 2009
My first attempt in about 15 years making bannock. Made them years ago with the scouts but everything was premixed. Can wait to cook them beside a fire on Sat. NeilB mate your in for a tasty brekkie!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/kendogbaggio/DSC00355.jpg)

Sorry for the massive pic and quality but its all in the taste!

David...
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: RedLeader on August 21, 2009
Nice! I've been experimenting too. They're great with fruit bits and choco chips.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Mouldsy on August 21, 2009
Looks great mate, what was your recipe.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Wolf_Larson on August 21, 2009
Never even heard of them  :-[  how do you make them ?
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: MG1 on August 21, 2009
Is this type of bread? Would it be made at camp?
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on August 21, 2009
Bannock is basically a very basic unleavened bread. I just threw a handful or this and that in but heres a rough guide of measures

2cups flour
1tbs baking soda
1tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Cup of water
Milk (optional and where available in the bush, you could try milk powder)
Powdered egg (same as milk)

Sieve and mix this dry (Store for as long as needs be till you need it)

Just add water until it becomes a sticky dough (very messy)

Put onto a surface with flour on it and make into whatever shape or size fits your pan to about 1/2 inch thick

Dont knead the bread it will just push the air you need out of the mixture

Put a little oil or butter in your pan and heat gently

Add your bannock and cook slowly for 10mins on low heat turning occasionally

Dont have too much heat in your pan coz you will just burn the outside and have nothing but sticky dough in the middle


Im just gonna take the dry mix with me tomorrow and mix it with the water in the forest, and cook it on NeilB's new honey stove


Heres the pro at it... i wanna get a fire goin sometime too and try it this way....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AXYqy5zFLE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AXYqy5zFLE)
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Celt_Ginger on August 21, 2009
I've never had bannock with egg in it before. Won't thak make it kind of like a cake?
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on August 22, 2009
That was my thoughts exactly too celt. Havent tried it with egg yet but ray uses powdered egg in his so might give it a try sometime to see what its like
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Celt_Ginger on August 22, 2009
Yep. I won't knock it until I've tried it. Now to find a source of powedered egg.............
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Cardnim on August 27, 2009
On the few times Ive tried a bannock it has come out hard like brick on the outside, and doughy in the middle.
Any thoughts on what Im doing wrong?

I use:
two handfuls flour
tsp baking powder
pinch baking soda
milk (not powdered)
bilberries or whatever other fruit I can find

I mix it all up and put it into my frying pan (floured first) then cover this with a saucepan and dig it into the ashes at the base of my fire.
Left for about 20 mins it comes out as described above :(
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: RedLeader on August 27, 2009
I've never had bannock with egg in it before. Won't thak make it kind of like a cake?

With egg in it effectively becomes a pancake.

On the few times Ive tried a bannock it has come out hard like brick on the outside, and doughy in the middle.
Any thoughts on what Im doing wrong?

I use:
two handfuls flour
tsp baking powder
pinch baking soda
milk (not powdered)
bilberries or whatever other fruit I can find

I mix it all up and put it into my frying pan (floured first) then cover this with a saucepan and dig it into the ashes at the base of my fire.
Left for about 20 mins it comes out as described above :(

I use the 3-2-1 method (I'm calling it the Dustybin recipe :D). 3 parts flour, 2 parts milk powder to 1 finger of baking powder (remember 1 finger of baking powder rather than one part!). You should also add a teaspoon of salt (not sure why).

The trick is to add as little water as you can while mixing - add too much and it will be runny and not stick together. They say you should not knead it or it will be very hard when cooked. Mould into a flat patty and fry in a pan with oil or oil and butter and turn occasionally. I too have the problem of crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. Try a cooler pan maybe, plus leaving it for a mo after taking it off the heat will let it continue to harden a bit.

I like to add sugar and chocolate chips when before water. It makes the bannock burn a bit because of the sugar but it tastes awesome. Can also recommend a splash of Southern Comfort!
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Cardnim on August 27, 2009
Cheers for the advice Jonno - maybe im making mine a bit too thick.
Sounds like you pat it down flatter than me when in the pan.

...and nice reference to Dustybin  :D ;D  ... all I can hear now is old Dusty wheeling out my "brick" of a bannock and Ted Rogers saying  "Lets see what you could have baked"
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: RedLeader on August 27, 2009
Cheers for the advice Jonno - maybe im making mine a bit too thick.
Sounds like you pat it down flatter than me when in the pan.

...and nice reference to Dustybin  :D ;D  ... all I can hear now is old Dusty wheeling out my "brick" of a bannock and Ted Rogers saying  "Lets see what you could have baked"

Yep, I'd suppose that the flatter it is the less distance for the heat to travel to the center. Get the garden burner out and have a Sunday afternoons experimentation in the garden - that's what I did (the wife thought I was a looney in the garden with a nice bottle of red cooking bannock, nibbling a bit, throwing it in the bin, then making another for about 2 hours  ::))
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Celt_Ginger on August 27, 2009
I have actually made the mixture very runny and fried the bannok up like a pancake, adding small portions at a time . It works surprisingly well.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Cardnim on August 27, 2009
Cheers CG.  :)

Im heading out camping tomorrow (just for the long weekend) and think I'll give the bannock another try.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Celt_Ginger on August 27, 2009
Just to clarify, you make a runny mixture and put a small portion in the frying pan and fry it like a pancake. Take it out, eat it, then make another one.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Wolf_Larson on September 11, 2009
I wounder if i should do them in the cafe  ???

Ill have to do the sums to see how mush they would be to make eash one.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on September 11, 2009
Wolf if you made these in your cafe you would prob make about 80% profit on them. A bag of flour goes a long long way and even further if you buy it in trader quantities. Find out who supplies the bakeries and get it even cheaper. I know if i was in the vicinity of your cafe on a cold december afternoon i would def call in for some fresh cooked bannock and a jig of whiskey infused coffee. Dammit cant wait till errigal tomorrow now and cook it wild with some jamesons.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Wolf_Larson on September 11, 2009
Sounds good mate, ill be looking into that.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: armysurplusireland on September 21, 2009
Just use gold old soda bread flour , and add raisins etc if you wish, But the flour works with water only if you have no milk powder, or beer or cider . Great with cheese and fried onions added to the doughmix.

 ;)
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Wolf_Larson on September 21, 2009
Just use gold old soda bread flour , and add raisins etc if you wish, But the flour works with water only if you have no milk powder, or beer or cider . Great with cheese and fried onions added to the doughmix.

 ;)

I like the sound of this alot.  ;D
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: armysurplusireland on September 21, 2009
Trust me I like my grub, and being outdoors is no excuse to let standards slip... aint nothing like the munchies  ;)
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: Wolf_Larson on September 21, 2009
LOL true live it up when you can.  ;D
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: 666_pack on September 25, 2009
Just use gold old soda bread flour , and add raisins etc if you wish, But the flour works with water only if you have no milk powder, or beer or cider . Great with cheese and fried onions added to the doughmix.

 ;)

now that i'd like to try.
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on September 25, 2009
Just use gold old soda bread flour , and add raisins etc if you wish, But the flour works with water only if you have no milk powder, or beer or cider . Great with cheese and fried onions added to the doughmix.

 ;)

I know makin the mixture in the house before you leave is still a bit of a cheat from a survival/bushcrafting point of view but using soda bread flour is cheating even more, is it not??? just a thought, i like the whole mixing it all together and experimenting before you 'leave' Premade flour sounds just too easy ???

Regards,

David
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: kendogbaggio on September 25, 2009
Just use gold old soda bread flour , and add raisins etc if you wish, But the flour works with water only if you have no milk powder, or beer or cider . Great with cheese and fried onions added to the doughmix.

 ;)

I know makin the mixture in the house before you leave is still a bit of a cheat from a survival/bushcrafting point of view but using soda bread flour is cheating even more, is it not??? just a thought, i like the whole mixing it all together and experimenting before you 'leave' Premade flour sounds just too easy besides i want bannock not soda bread ???

Regards,

David
Title: Re: Bannock
Post by: pablo on October 10, 2009
i think im under equiped to make bannock,i havent got the little leather bags with the ziplock liners so surely mine wouldnt taste like the proper item  ;D

i vaguely remember making a flour and water mix and wrapping it round a stick like a swizzle and baking it over a fire. id just need a wils cow to milk then churn up some butter and bobs yer uncle ..........er i mean Rays yer uncle  :P