Traditional Scotland Teatime Treats Ideas

Black Bun Recipe

This is a recipe for Black bun, which is historically eaten at the end of the year at Hogmanay. Of course it can be made and eaten at any time of the year. However, it needs to be made several weeks in advance so that it can mature. Whilst it has an extensive list of ingredients it is relatively easy to make and every cook has his or her own variations on the ingredients.

A picture of this cake can be seen on this site

Ingredients for Pastry Case:
12 oz plain flour (3 cups)
Half teaspoon baking powder
3 oz lard (6 tablespoons)
3 oz butter or margarine (6 tablespoons)
Pinch of salt
Cold water

NOTE. Whilst traditional, the pastry case can be dispensed with if it is felt that this may be too difficult or is not to the palate of the person eating. Clearly however, some other method of encasing the "filling" would have to be used, such as a muslin cloth.

Ingredients for Filling:
1 lb seedless raisins (2¾ cups)
One/Two tablespoon brandy
Milk to moisten
1 lb cleaned currants (2¾ cups
2 oz chopped, blanched almonds (Third of a cup)
Generous pinch of black pepper
2 oz chopped mixed peel (¼ cup)
6 oz plain flour (1½ cups)
3 oz soft brown sugar (Third of a cup)
One level teaspoon ground allspice
Half level teaspoon each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder
One large, beaten egg

Method:
Grease an 8-inch loaf tin. Rub the fats into the flour and salt and then mix in enough cold water to make a stiff dough which will be used to line the tin. Roll out the pastry and cut into six pieces sized to fit the bottom, top and four sides of the tin as a rough guide. Press the bottom and four side pieces into the tin, pressing the overlaps to seal the pastry shell.
Mix the raisins, currants, almonds, peel and sugar together. Sift in the flour, add all the spicesand baking powder, then bind them together using the brandy and most of the egg. Adding enough milk to moisten.
Place all the filling into the lined tin finally adding the pastry lid, pinching the edges and using milk or egg to seal really well. Lightly prick the surface with a fork and make four holes to the bottom of the tin with a skewer.
Brush the top with milk or the rest of the egg to create a glaze.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 325F/160C/Gas Mark 3 for 2½ to 3 hours. Test with a skewer which should come out clean; if not, continue cooking.
Cool in the tin and then turn onto a wire rack. Cool thoroughly before storing until Hogmanay.

As with all recipes which involve cooking and baking a sensible approach must be taken especially when dealing with warm or hot (temperature) ingredients. If you are unable to take due care, please do not attempt to make any of these recipes. All recipes are tried at your own risk.

For US to UK equivalents for food weights and measurements see this rough guide

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