Title: Scotch Black Bun
Categories: Irish Bread Dessert
Yield: 1 Loaf

		** British Measurements **
THE PASTRY
12	oz	Plain flour
3	oz	Lard
3	oz	Butter or margarine
	pn	Salt
		Cold water as needed
THE FILLING
1	lb	Raisins
1	lb	Currants
2	oz	Almonds; blanched & chopped
2	oz	Mixed peel; chopped
6	oz	Plain flour
3	oz	Brown sugar
1	ts	Allspice
1/2	ts	Ground ginger
1/2	ts	Ground cinnamon
1/2	ts	Baking powder
	pn	Black pepper
1		Egg; beaten
		Brandy to taste
		Milk as needed

Don't be put off by the formiddable list of ingredients. The recipe is not as complicated as it looks. The result is a stunning feature for your next Hogmanay.

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Directions: To make the Pastry: Grease an 8-inch loaf tin. Make the pastry by rubbing the fats into the flour and salt and use enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Roll out 3/4 of the pastry to line the tin and reserve the rest to make a lid.

To make the Filling: Sift all the dry ingredients together and mix all the fruits thoroughly and then combine the two, adding the brandy to taste. Stir in almost all the beaten egg (reserving a little to glaze the pastry). Add just enough milk to moisten the mixture.

Pack the filling into the pastry-lined tin and cover with the pastry lid. Seal the edges well, lightly prick the lid with a fork. Using a skewer pierce the lid and the mixture 4 to 6 times to allow the steam to escape during baking. Brush the top with the left over beaten egg.

Cook for three hours in a preheated oven at 325øF / 160øC / gas mark 3. Cool in the tin, remove, and store in an airtight container.

Black Bun should be made at least one month in advance of Hogmanay since it improves with the keeping. It will keep up to six months quite well.

HINT: I find it easier to cut the pastry into the five pieces which will make up the shell, using the tin as a rough guide for cutting. I then press the very slight overlaps to seal the pastry shell. The slightly thicker "seams" make it easier to get out of the tin. ** Scottish Home Baking ** by Judy Paterson Lindsay Publications, Glasgow 1993 ISBN = 1-898169-00-4 Scanned and formatted for you by The WEE Scot -- pol mac Griogair

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