Aberdeen Butteries

Name: Aberdeen Butteries
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 450 g strong white bread flour; 7 g fast-action dried yeast; 5 g caster sugar; 8 g Fine sea salt; 300 ml tepid water; 125 g Unsalted butter; 125 g Lard

Flaky, rich, and distinctly salty traditional Scottish breakfast rolls with a crisp, golden crust and a soft laminated crumb.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East Scotland

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 55 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

450 g strong white bread flour — plus extra for dusting
7 g fast-action dried yeast — one sachet
5 g caster sugar — approx 1 tsp
8 g Fine sea salt — approx 1.5 tsp
300 ml tepid water — around 37°C
125 g Unsalted butter — softened to room temperature
125 g Lard — softened to room temperature

Equipment

•mixing bowl
•rolling pin
•baking tray
•greaseproof paper

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 17 g
carbs: 29 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2
Pour in the tepid water and mix to form a pliable, slightly sticky dough.
3
Knead the dough on a lightly floured worktop for eight minutes until smooth.
4
Cover the bowl and rest the dough in a warm spot for forty-five minutes.
5
Beat the softened butter and lard together in a bowl until smooth and evenly blended.
6
Roll the rested dough out into a large rectangle about five millimetres thick.
7
Spread one-third of the fat mixture evenly across two-thirds of the dough surface.
8
Fold the unbuttered third over the middle, then fold the remaining third over the top.
9
Roll out the dough again and repeat the spreading and folding process twice more.
10
Divide the dough into twelve equal portions and shape each into a rough, flat round.
11
Place the rounds onto lined baking trays and leave to rise for thirty minutes.
12
Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for fifteen to twenty minutes until crisp and deep golden.

Chef's tips

Ensure the butter and lard are at the exact same soft consistency so they spread easily without tearing the dough. Do not reduce the salt, as the savoury, salty bite is the defining characteristic of an authentic rowie.

Ingredient substitutions

lard → vegetable shortening (for a vegetarian version)
strong white bread flour → plain flour (yields a slightly denser texture)

Storage

Keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to four days.

Reheating

Toast split butteries under a medium grill for two minutes on each side until crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using chilled hard fat, which will tear the dough instead of laminating smoothly
•Reducing the salt quantity, resulting in a bland roll lacking traditional flavour
•Over-shaping the dough into neat buns rather than leaving the rustic, flat round shape