The Scottish Kitchen - Miscellaneous

Black Bun

On Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) our large dining room table heaved under the weight of food. Our home was always packed with friends, relatives and my parents' business associates, who were invited to our annual Hogmanay supper to bring in the New Year when the clock struck twelve midnight. At and after midnight more people arrived. They were the First Footers who came, piece of black coal in hand to bring us good luck and to wish everyone a "Happy New Year". In return they were offered a glass of whisky accompanied by a slice of Black Bun. This rich, heavy, densely delicious, spiced fruit mixture encased in pastry was excellent for soaking up the copious amounts of whisky drank in every household on this special Scottish evening. It was baked 2-3 months before Christmas to give it time to mature and was stored, wrapped, in an airtight tin.

Ingredients - serves 6
For the pastry
300g (12 oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
Half a teaspoon baking powder
150g (6 oz) butter
Water to mix
Beaten egg to glaze
For the filling
450g (1 lb) currants
450g (1 lb) raisins, preferably muscatel
100g (4 oz) chopped candied peel
100g (4 oz) blanched chopped almonds
100g (4 oz) chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons mixed spice
Half a teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1-2 tablespoons whisky or brandy
Beaten egg

Method
1. Make the pastry. Sieve flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl.

2. Rub in the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Add enough water to bind to a stiff dough.

4. Roll out pastry thinly on a floured board. Use two-thirds to line a greased 22.5 cm (9") cake tin, reserving enough to cover the top.

5. For the filling mix together all ingredients except whisky or brandy and beaten egg.

6. Add enough whisky or brandy and beaten egg to moisten the mixture.

7. Press mixture into pastry lined tin, flatten the top using a palette knife.

8. Dampen the pastry edges with water and press the pastry lid on top. Crimp edges.

9. Prick all over with a fork. With a skewer, make 4 holes right down to the bottom of the cake.

10. Brush with beaten egg and bake slowly in an oven pre-heated to 150C/300F/ Gas2, for two and a half to three hours or longer (test with a skewer).

11. Cool in the tin for at least two hours and then carefully turn out onto a cooling rack. When absolutely cold, wrap in foil and store in an airtight tin for up to three months.

Compote of Dried Fruit

(Note there is no need to soak the fruit overnight)

Ingredients - serves 4
1x227g (8 oz) pack mixed dried fruit ( prunes, apricots, apples etc.)
450ml ( 15 fl oz) water or a mixture of water and wine.
15g (1 oz) sugar, optional

Method
1. Place fruit and liquid in a suitable casserole

2. Cover and microwave on High for 6 minutes

3. Stir, add sugar if using, cover and cook on High for a further 6 minutes

4. Leave to stand to stand, covered for at least 30 minutes to re-hydrate.

5. Cool, and refrigerate, preferably overnight. Stir before serving.

Porridge

Ingredients - serves 3
1 cup ( approx.75g/3 ozs) porridge oats
2 and a half cups (approx. 625ml/ 1¼ pints) hot tap water
Pinch of salt

Method
1. Place porridge oats, water and salt into a Pyrex or other suitable dish. Stir well together.

2. Microwave on High for 2-3 minutes, or until porridge boils.

3. Stir, and microwave for a further 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir well, and leave to stand for 1-2 minutes before serving alone or with compote of dried fruit (see below).

For a single portion of porridge: Place 25g (1 oz) porridge oats, 200ml/ 8 fl ozs hot tap water, and a pinch of salt into an individual serving bowl, microwave on High for approx. one and a half to two minutes, stirring both halfway and at the end of the cooking time. Allow to stand for a minute before serving.

Tablet or Taiblet

Virtually unknown south of the border, this is Scotland's oldest known confectionery. My mother and grandmother made pounds and pounds of this, especially during the summer months, to be sold at the many Church Fetes. There were always long queues for tablet, and there was never enough to go round. For those with a sweet tooth, this is irresistible!

Ingredients
100g (4 oz) butter
300ml (10fl.oz) water
900g (2lb) caster sugar
200g (7 oz) can full cream
sweetened condensed milk

Method
1. Place butter and water in a heavy-based saucepan, preferably non-stick.

2. Heat slowly until butter has melted. Add sugar and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.

3. When boiling, add condensed milk, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring to avoid sticking.

4. Remove from heat, add a little flavouring (such as 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence) and beat till mixture stiffens and just starts to look slightly grainy.

5. Pour immediately into a Swiss roll tin, and when partly cooled, mark in to small squares or oblongs.

6. When completely cold, remove and store in an airtight tin or wrap the pieces individually in waxed paper.