7 November 2022
This recipe has been altered slightly to allow for the inclusion of a sprinkling of dried cranberries. The prep work is quick and easy, but the clean-up does take some time. I used a combination of spelt, whole wheat flour, and rolled oats to spread out on the counter. The amount of water needed to form a thick dough depends upon the aridity of your kitchen air. Mine was quite dry today, due to heating the cold, damp room because of the typical autumn/winter weather known in California as “the storm door is open.”
I had to use a half a cup of hot tap water, and then, for the final 6 circles, I put the dough back into the bowl, and added 1/4 cup of water to compact the batter. The last circles were easily cut out with the rim of a drinking glass. The immense practicality and unquestionable nutrition of this recipe are what initially appealed to me. I think they’re delicious! My dear husband says they turned out just exactly as they’re supposed to be. To which I replied, “You can add some jam or jelly if you like, or even Dundee marmalade.” “No, no no,” he averred. “They are precisely what you’d eat out on the moors.”
And then he offered me his second oatcake. Dear Wifey more than tends to like her food, like her humor, dry! The oatcakes can be eaten warm, right out of the oven, with Scottish Breakfast tea. They can be stored and then eaten for breakfast, by themselves, or to accompany scrambled eggs and ham, or salmon, or kippers! I used The Yorkshire Method with these “cakes” which seemed more like cookies to this American; the tea for my tea-time was, consequently, Yorkshire Gold.
Ingredients: 3-3/4 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup spelt 2 tsp white sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes or slices Sprinkling of dried cranberries, as much or as little as you want 1/4 cup hot water, or as needed Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread a thin layer of oats, spelt, and whole wheat flour onto the kitchen counter/work surface. Press the dough in the bowl with your hands to form a solid clump, then transfer it onto the floured area. Press the dough toward uniformity, and then use a rolling pin to attain a more even thickness. Using the rim of a drinking glass, cut out circles and transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake till golden brown, 20-30 minutes, turning over halfway through. * In Yorkshire, only one side of the oatcakes is cooked; they are bubbly in appearance.
21 February 2023 Oatcake Update I’ve baked the oatcakes a second time. And altered the recipe a bit. I add another teaspoon of sugar, a handful of dried currants, and then roll the batter/dough to a much thinner layer. The use of a spatula for lifting the oatcake onto the baking tray came in handy. The cleanup still takes time, but the results are worth it! Dear Hubby says they are much better. He even willingly eats them, although, as is his wont, he picks out the currants. I store them in a round tin and place them in the frig, then heat them in the microwave before serving with those scrambled eggs that are currently worth their weight in inflationary gold!