Blackbun
The traditional cake served to first footers at Hogmanay, who came to wish a Happy New Year and cadge a wee dram!
Blackbun should be made about a month in advance to give it time to mature before eating.
Ingredients
Filling
1 lb raisins
1/2 lb dates
1/2 lb currants
2 oz apricots (dried, chopped)
4 oz almonds (chopped)
4 oz muscovado sugar
8 oz plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 pint soya yoghurt
1/4 pint whisky
Shortcrust pastry
10 oz self raising flour
4 oz vegan margarine
soya milk to bind
1 tsp salt
Method
Shortcrust pastry
Add all dry ingredients, rub in margarine and then bind with the milk.
Filling
Mix all ingredients together.
Buns
- Roll out pastry into a large rectangle
- Line middle of pastry with filling
- Roll up into a big 'sausage'
- Bake in medium / hot oven for half an hour
Taigh na Mara Highland Shortbread
Perfect for Hogmanay , Burns' Night, or whenever you fancy!
Ingredients
8 oz plain flour
4 oz cornflour
4 oz icing sugar
8 oz vegan margarine
Sprinkle of fine caster sugar
Method
- Sieve plain flour, cornflour and icing sugar into a bowl.
- Rub in margarine until you have a breadcrumb consistency.
- Knead to form a stiff dough.
- Press dough on to an oiled baking tray in a layer about 1/2 inch deep.
- Prick all over and cut into triangular sections.
- Bake for about 35 minutes at 180ºC until light golden brown.
- Re-cut the sections and sprinkle with caster sugar.
