Sparkle Kitchen

Sparkle Kitchen: Bannock Bread

In this week’s Junkyard Tales: All Together Now story, “Afraid of the Dark” Winnie, the puppy assistant, is afraid of the dark and won’t come out of the Warden’s office after the sun sets. The others try to coax her out to enjoy the night-time fun, but she is adamant. So Sergeant talks to the Rowlands, a family of raccoons, and they know exactly how to help Winnie not only face her fears, but learn to enjoy the night.

One of the ways that I most enjoy being outside at night — particularly when the weather’s just a touch cool — is gathered around a campfire with a group of friends. Snuggled up in thick sweaters with warm beverages in hand, swapping stories as the kids run amok — who could ever be afraid with that much coziness happening?

And while you’re standing there, you may as well make a piece of warm bannock bread for dessert, right?

Bannock bread (also known as plain “campfire bread”) has both Scottish and Native American origins. It’s a biscuit dough that was traditionally cooked over a campfire, either by using a scavenged flat rock as a pan or by twisting the dough around a stick.

We cooked ours using the stick method, then slathered it with melted butter and sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top. I made the biscuit dough from scratch, using the recipe below, but certainly feel free to use canned dough if that helps.

It takes a few tries to get the knack of cooking it over an open flame, but even the less than perfect pieces found their happy place in our tummies.

Bannock Bread

(makes about 12 pieces)

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup water

For serving:

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

about 2 tablespoons melted butter

Campfire Stick Method Directions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the olive oil and water. Starting with a spoon and moving to clean hands as necessary, work the dough together for 5-10 minutes or until it’s smooth and stretchy. You may have to add a few tablespoons of extra flour or water to get a good consistency. (I don’t know if there’s any science to back me up, but I always find that I have to adjust my dough recipes a little according to the weather.)

2. When the dough is ready, divide it into 12 balls and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar, then put the dough, melted butter, and cinnamon sugar mixture on a big tray and carry it out to your campfire.

3. With a roasting stick ready, twist a ball of dough into a snake that’s about 1 inch thick. Wind the snake around your stick, then give the whole thing a good squeeze to help it adhere. Hold the stick over the fire, turning it every few minutes but not constantly. (We found that constant turning just makes the dough fall off.) To get the inside of the bread done, you’ll need to cook it for about 10 minutes so don’t start too close to the fire or you’ll burn the outside.

4. When the bread is finished, drizzle it with butter, then sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy it piping hot.

Alternatively, if you are not planning a campfire for this recipe, here are the instructions for pan-frying & baking this dish:

Panfrying Directions:

1. Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium heat on a stovetop.
2. While the pan is heating, prepare the bannock dough as instructed, dividing it into 12 balls.
3. Flatten each ball slightly to about 1 inch thick.
4. Once the pan is hot, add a small amount of oil or butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
5. Place the flattened dough pieces into the pan, leaving space between each piece.
6. Cook the bannock for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
7. Remove the bannock from the pan and place on a serving tray.
8. Drizzle melted butter over the bannock, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
9. Serve hot and enjoy!

Baking Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it lightly.
3. Shape the bannock dough into 12 balls and flatten each one slightly to about 1 inch thick.
4. Place the flattened dough pieces on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each piece.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the bannock is golden brown and cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and transfer the bannock to a serving tray.
7. Drizzle melted butter over the bannock, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
8. Serve warm and enjoy the delicious bannock bread!

By following these adapted instructions, you can enjoy freshly cooked bannock bread whether you're indoors or outdoors.

Download the recipe HERE

If you liked this recipe, here are others you might enjoy:

• Chapati Bread, Two Ways
• Broa
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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