Melvin larocque's bannock v2.0

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
3 cups All purpose flour
¾ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons [Scant] baking powder
½ cup Lard; melted *
1¼ cup Or more water; divided
½ cup Raisins, currants or dried blueberries or cranberries [optional]
2 tablespoons Sugar [if fruit added]

Directions

It was cooked in pioneer days in cast iron frying pans over open fires. Toutons use a similar dough where small rings are deep fried like doughnuts. Oven baking has become an alternative to the cast iron frying pan when made at home. The dough can also be wrapped around green de-barked sticks driven into the ground beside the camp fire.

* Melted shortening, butter or margarine can be used but the taste will be altered. Lard is traditional.

Measure flour, salt, baking powder [and dried fruit and sugar] into a large bowl. Stir to mix. Make a well in the center and pour in a ½ cup water. Do not mix yet. Then add the melted lard and the rest of the water. Depending on the dryness of the flour add up to ¼ cup more. The resulting batter should be slightly sticky, not flaky like pie pastry. Stir with fork to make a ball. No not overmix; stop as soon as the ball of dough lifts away from the bowl. Turn out onto a working surface. Knead gently about 10 times. Do not over work the dough and let the gluten develop. Or mix and knead with your hands in the bowl. Pat into a flat circle 1 inch thick. Cook in a greased frying pan over medium heat allowing 15 minutes each side. Use two lifters for easy turning. Serve hot with butter. Break it off in chunks or slice into wedges with a knife. May also be baked on greased baking sheet at 375 deg for 25 to 30 minutes or 450 deg for about 20 minutes for a golden brown exterior and a soft moist interior. The bannock will brown easier with the addition of at least some of the optional sugar.

This tastes best in a frying pan outdoors over a wood fire.

Variations: Substitute 1 cup whole wheat flour and/or ½ cup oatmeal for up to 1½ cups of white flour.

Add fresh fruit instead of dried.

Add aged shredded Cheddar cheese and/or chopped onion, garlic, herbs etc. for a savory version.

Submitted By JIM WELLER On 09-18-95

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