Aberdeen Buttery Buns (Rowies)
A unique, savory, and incredibly rich pastry from Aberdeen, characterized by its flaky layers and buttery, slightly salty flavor. Often eaten for breakfast.
🧂 Ingredients
- 500 g Strong bread flour
- 7 g Yeast(fast-acting dried yeast)
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 250 ml Milk(lukewarm)
- 200 g Butter(cold, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing)
- 100 g Lard or vegetable shortening(cold, cut into cubes)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the lukewarm milk. Mix to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- 2
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 3
While the dough is proving, prepare the butter and lard mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the cold butter cubes and lard. Mix them together with your fingertips until they form a coarse, crumbly mixture. Chill this mixture in the refrigerator.
- 4
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle, approximately 30x40 cm.
- 5
Spread the chilled butter and lard mixture evenly over two-thirds of the rolled-out dough, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the dough as you would for puff pastry: fold the plain third over the buttered section, then fold the remaining buttered section over that, creating three layers.
- 6
Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a rectangle. Repeat the folding process (fold into thirds) two more times, ensuring you chill the dough for 15-20 minutes between each rolling and folding to keep the fat cold.
- 7
After the final fold and chill, roll the dough out to about 1.5 cm thickness. Cut into 12 squares or rectangles.
- 8
Place the dough pieces onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them. Cover loosely and let them rest for about 20-30 minutes.
- 9
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake the rowies for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. They should feel light when tapped.
- 10
Serve warm, ideally with a generous spread of butter.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Keep the butter and lard mixture and the dough as cold as possible throughout the process. Chilling is key.
- ✓Don't overwork the dough after the initial kneading.
- ✓The characteristic flaky layers are achieved by keeping the fat solid during the folding process.
🔄 Variations
- Some recipes include a small amount of suet for extra richness.
- A pinch of black pepper can be added to the dough for a savory kick.