Aberdeen Butteries Recipe

Aberdeen butteries (or Aberdeen rowies / Aberdeen morning rolls as they are also commonly known) are quite a favourite here in the North East of Scotland.

Once upon a time, these were made for the fishermen to eat whilst at sea.

Due to the high-fat content, they served as an energy source and it also meant that they wouldn’t go stale for a couple of weeks!

These days, Scottish butteries are often eaten as a breakfast piece or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Known for their flaky and buttery texture, they could be described as a more dense, flatter, saltier tasting croissant.

Often kept secret, you’ll find that each baker in Aberdeen has their own recipe and it really varies how each buttery turns out. Some are really soft like JG Ross, whilst others are harder and much flakier more like Murdoch Allan or once upon a time, Aitkens rowies.

We’ve created our own recipe and method to making the best Aberdeen butteries and we hope you enjoy it. Make sure to try my butteries recipe below!

Aberdeen Butteries Recipe

Overview

Makes: 16
Prep time: 30-40 mins (and 1 hour 45 minute rest time)
Cook time: 15-18 mins
Total time: 1 hour approx (and 1 hour 45 minute rest time)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
• 500g all purpose flour
• 260g butter
• 125g lard
• 400ml warm water
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt

Utensils

• Scales
• Large mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Rolling pin
  If you do not have a rolling pin then grab a bottle or tin to roll out the dough
• Baking tray 

Instructions for how to make Aberdeen Butteries

1. 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.

2. In a bowl add your 500g all purpose plain flour, 1 tbsp soft brown sugar and 1 tbsp salt and mix together.
   
3. 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.

4. 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!
   
5. 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.
   
6. Next, you want to cream your butter and lard together. Preferably have these at room temperature for an easier time!
   
7. 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.
   
8. 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.
   
9. 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.
   
10. You then want to fold the top unbuttered section of dough over your middle section.
    
11. And then you want to take the bottom section of buttered dough and also cover the middle section creating three layers of dough.
    
12. Roll your dough out to the rectangle shape again at 1cm thick and repeat steps 9-11 a further two times.
    
13. Roll your dough into one final rectangle at 1cm thick.
    
14. Cut your dough into 16 even pieces and roll into a rough circle shape with your hands.
    
15. Place each shape onto a lightly oiled baking tray.
    
16. Leave to sit for a further 45 minutes where they will rise ever so slightly again.
    
17. It is now time to preheat your oven!200C/180C fan/400F/Gas 6
    
18. 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.
    
19. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
    
20. Move butteries to a cooling rack.
    
    Enjoy!

How to eat butteries?

Everyone likes theirs differently!

I like mine warm with butter and strawberry jam.

Some like theirs plain and cold.

While others like them toasted with butter and syrup.

It is totally up to you how to choose to serve yours but make sure to spread on the flat side!

Storage

Make sure to put them in a zip-locked bag for storage to keep the air away.

Due to the high fat content, butteries will last considerably longer than most baked goods but I would suggest eating within 1-2 weeks.

Butteries can also be frozen and reheated if necessary.

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