Aberdeen Rowies Recipes

ABERDEEN BUTTERIES RECIPE (ALSO KNOWN AS ROWIES)

Steps:

• Mix the yeast, sugar, and water, and set aside.
• In a large bowl mix the flour and salt.
• Slowly add the liquid and use a fork to bring it together.
• Once combined turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until it is elastic and smooth. You might need to sprinkle more flour over to knead in if the mixture is too wet and sticking.
• Form into a ball, place into a large bowl, score the top with an X, cover in clingfilm and put in a warm place for about an hour to allow it to expand in size (this is called proving).
• Measure out your butter and lard and cut into small pieces in a bowl to allow it to come to room temperature if it isn't already.
• After the dough is proved return to a lightly floured work surface and knead very gently before rolling out to a rectangle shape that is about 2/4 of an inch thick. Have the short edge facing you.
• Beat the butter and lard together with a wooden spoon so it's smooth and roughly split into 3 in the bowl.
• Using your hands, smear one-third of the butter and lard mixture over the lower two-thirds of your rectangle. Fold the top half (without the mixture) over onto the middle third, and then the bottom third up on top of that.
• Wait approximately half an hour and repeat the process again, but roll the dough the opposite way to how you have folded it.
• Wait another half hour and repeat for the last time, turning the dough again to roll the opposite way. You are basically creating layers in the pastry with the butter/lard mixture in between.
• Roll the dough out to about 3/4 of an inch thick and divide into around 15 pieces which you can then gently shape into rounds. Put these on a lightly floured baking tray (or two) and cover with a large plastic bag or lose cling film, and then allow to prove for a further 30 minutes. You'll want to space the rounds out to allow them to expand.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/400F and when the butteries have finished proving place them into the oven for 15-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on them from the 15-minute mark! They should turn golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and move to a rack with a plate or paper towels underneath so they're not sitting in the fat on the tray.
• Allow to cool slightly before eating, or save for later! Serve with jam, or if you dare, even more butter!

A NORTH EAST SCOTLAND DELICACY - ROWIES OR BUTTERIES

Steps:

• First mix the sugar, half the water and the yeast together in a bowl and set aside for the yeast to activate. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and then add the yeast. Mix together, adding more water if required to make a smooth dough then kneed for about 5 mins. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover and leave to rise until it has doubled in size, approx 1 hour.
• Kneed the dough again and roll it out on a floured surface. Cream the butter and the lard together and then spread a third of it over the dough and sprinkle with flour. Fold the dough into three, roll it out again, spread another third of the fat mixture and then repeat once more.
• Roll the dough quite thinly and cut into 16 equal sized squares. Shape each square into a flattened round, but be careful not to over handle the dough. Place the rounds on a baking tray and leave to rise for approx 40mins.
• Bake the rolls at 450F (230C) for about 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden.
• Serve hot or cold with lashings of butter and / or raspberry jam.

ROWIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stir salt and flour together to break up large clumps in a mixing bowl.
• Proof yeast (not supposedly necessary with quick rise but I did it anyway) with 2 t. sugar and 1/4 water between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Combine the foamy yeast with the dry ingredients with a dough hook attachment.
• Add in remaining water and mix on low until it forms a nice smooth dough. Let the hook knead it for a few minutes.
• Place the dough ball in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth to let it rise to double its original size. (About a half hour to an hour)
• While dough is rising, cream together lard and butter together.
• When the rise has completed, knead the dough for an additional two minutes.
• Roll it out onto a well-floured surface into a large rectangle (about 10in x 13in)
• Spread 1/3 of the butter and lard mixture over the left 2/3 of the rectangle.
• Fold the unbuttered dough over towards the center, and fold the other third over it.
• Pick up and turn the rectangle sideways, so that the open edges are on the left and right.
• Roll out the new rolled rectangle into a large rectangle of the same size as the last and repeat the buttering and folding process two more times. (Creating layers)
• Cut rectangle into squares (8-10, depending on size of rectangle)
• Fold each corner into the center of the pastry, and flatten out into a rough, dimpled circle.
• Place each pastry on a floured cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
• Served best with butter spread on the bottom.
• #enJOY!

ABERDEEN BUTTERIES RECIPE (ABERDEEN ROWIES/MORNING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Measure 180ml warm water and add your 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast. Make sure that the water is not boiling hot as it will kill the yeast, warm tap water is fine for this. Set aside for approx 5-10 minutes until the water begins to look creamy when mixed.
• In a bowl add your 500g all purpose plain flour, 1 tbsp soft brown sugar and 1 tbsp salt and mix together.
• Making a well in the middle of your dry ingredients, add the water with yeast and begin to mix. Slowly add your remaining warm water to the mix when required, you may not need all of this! You are looking for your mix to bond together, yet remain quite a sticky consistency to touch.
• I would recommend heavily flouring your worktop and tipping your mix onto the surface before kneading for approximately 5-10 minutes. Just keep adding flour to your worktop if needed, you have not failed or done anything wrong, it is just a sticky mix! Keep at it!
• Once you have kneaded your mix, shape into a ball and place in an oiled bowl (1-2 tbsp) before covering with cling film/tea towel. Leave somewhere warm for one hour.
• Next, you want to cream your butter and lard together. Preferably have these at room temperature for an easier time!
• Grab your dough which should now be around twice the size. Place this on your floured worktop and knead again for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Roll your dough out to make a large rectangle (or as close to a rectangle as you can make!). You want the dough to be around 1cm thick.
• Use your mind to imagine the rectangular dough in three even sections and cover the lower two thirds of your dough in a third of the creamed butter and lard mix.
• You then want to fold the top unbuttered section of dough over your middle section.
• And then you want to take the bottom section of buttered dough and also cover the middle section creating three layers of dough.
• Roll your dough out to the rectangle shape again at 1cm thick and repeat steps 9-11 a further two times.
• Roll your dough into one final rectangle at 1cm thick.
• Cut your dough into 16 even pieces and roll into a rough circle shape with your hands.
• Place each shape onto a lightly oiled baking tray.
• Leave to sit for a further 45 minutes where they will rise ever so slightly again.
• It is now time to preheat your oven!200C/180C fan/400F/Gas 6
• Use your 4 fingers to press down on the dough and spread apart slightly. This stops the dough from spreading so much during baking and also gives the butteries their mismatched shape.
• Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
• Move butteries to a cooling rack.

BUTTERIES AKA ROWIES

Steps:

• 1. These are yeast rolls and, just like yeast breads, ought to be made under warm conditions to allow the yeast to raise the dough.
• 2. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside. Cream the fresh yeast, sugar and a little of the tepid water together and add to the bowl of flour. Mix the ingredients together with enough water to make smooth firm dough. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and knead well for about five minutes.
• 3. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a warm slightly damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for about an hour to allow the yeast do its work of expanding the dough to about double its original size.
• 4. While the dough is rising cream together the butter and lard in readiness for the next step.
• 5. When the dough has risen, knead it again and then roll it out on a floured surface. Then spread it with a third of the butter/lard mixture and sprinkle lightly with flour. Fold the dough in three and roll it out again.
• 6. Repeat this procedure two more times. Roll out the dough quite thinly and cut into squares.
• 7. Bring the four corners of each square to the centre, shape them into rounds and flatten slightly with hand- do not over handle the dough. Place the uncooked rolls onto a floured and warm baking tray and leave them in a warm place to rise for about half an hour to 40 minutes.
• 8. Bake the rolls in a hot oven at 400F for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
• 9. Rolls can be made in a large batch and subsequently frozen for later use. If defrosting frozen rolls in a microwave oven, do not overheat otherwise the rolls will become limp and the fat content will become over-heated and sizzle. Butteries can be eaten dry (without anything spread on them), spread with butter (just in case you really hanker after an early coronary, even if the rolls do then taste splendid) or spread with jam or honey etc.

ABERDEEN BUTTERIES (ROWIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt until well combined.
• Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then gradually add the water in a thin stream, stirring well with a wooden spoon, until the mixture comes together as a dough. (NB: You may not need to use all of the water.)
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer the kneaded dough to a clean, greased bowl and cover with a greased sheet of cling film. Set aside in a warm place to rise (prove) for at least one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, cream together the butter and lard until well combined. Divide the mixture into four equal portions.
• When the dough has proved, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Roll out the dough into a 40cm x 20cm/16in x 8in rectangle, about 1cm/½in thick.
• Turn the dough around so that the shortest edge is facing you. Spread one portion of the butter and lard mixture over the bottom two-thirds of the dough rectangle.
• Fold the remaining one-third of the dough rectangle over onto the butter and lard mixture to cover the centre section of the dough rectangle. Fold the other end of the dough rectangle over the folded dough, so that the dough ends up three times its original thickness.
• Roll the dough out again to a 40cm x 20cm/16in x 8in rectangle, about 1cm/½in thick. Repeat the process of spreading and folding with another portion of the butter and lard mixture.
• Repeat the process twice more, until all of the butter and lard mixture has been used up and the dough has been rolled out a total of four times.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Roll the dough out again to a 40cm x 20cm/16in x 8in rectangle, about 1cm/½in thick. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll each into a round, flat bun shape.
• Transfer the buns to a lightly oiled baking tray and set aside for 40-45 minutes, or until they have doubled in size again (leave enough space between them for expansion).
• When the buns have risen, bake them in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until they have risen further and are golden-brown and cooked through. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
• Serve each buttery warm, spread with butter and jam.

ABERDEEN ROWIES

Steps:

• Unlike pastry, which has to be made using cold kitchen tools, yeast breads ought to be made under warm conditions to allow the yeast to raise the dough, hence make rolls under warm conditions. Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside for a moment. Cream the fresh yeast, sugar and a little of the tepid water together and add to the bowl of flour. Mix the ingredients together with enough water to make a smooth firm dough. Transfer the dough to a well floured surface and knead well for about five minutes. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a warm slightly damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for about an hour to allow the yeast do its work of expanding the dough to about double its original size. While the dough is rising cream together the butter and lard in readiness for the next step. When the dough has risen knead it again and then roll it out on a floured surface and then spread it with a third of the butter/lard mixture and sprinkle lightly with flour. Fold the dough in three and roll it out again. Repeat the procedure twice more. Roll out the dough quite thinly and cut into squares. Bring the four corners of each square to the center, shape them into rounds and flatten slightly with hand - do not over handle the dough. Place the uncooked rolls onto a floured and warm baking tray and leave them in a warm place to rise for about half an hour to 40 minutes. Bake the rolls in a hot oven (400 degrees F) for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on both sides. cook's notes The rolls can be eaten warm (absolutely fabulous) or set aside until they are cool and stored. Rolls can be made in a large batch and subsequently frozen for later use. If defrosting the rolls in a microwave oven do not over heat otherwise the rolls will become limp and the fat content will become over-heated and sizzle. Aberdeen rolls can be eaten dry (without anything spread on them), spread with butter (just in case you really hanker after an early coronary, even if the rolls do then taste splendid) or spread with jam etc.