VegetarianNorth West English cuisine Baking

Lancashire Oatcakes

Name: Lancashire Oatcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North West English
Ingredients: 150 g fine oatmeal; 100 g medium oatmeal; 50 g Plain flour; 5 g fast-action dried yeast; 5 g caster sugar; 5 g Fine sea salt; 450 ml warm water; 150 ml semi-skimmed milk; 15 g Unsalted butter

Traditional thin, yeast-leavened griddle breads made with oatmeal, perfect served warm with salted butter and crumbly Lancashire cheese.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North West England

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 260 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

150 g fine oatmeal — fine ground
100 g medium oatmeal — for texture
50 g Plain flour — sifted
5 g fast-action dried yeast — about 1 tsp
5 g caster sugar — 1 tsp to activate yeast
5 g Fine sea salt — 1 tsp
450 ml warm water — tepid, around 38°C
150 ml semi-skimmed milk — lukewarm
15 g Unsalted butter — melted, for greasing the pan

Equipment

•large mixing bowl
•whisk
•cast iron frying pan
•ladle
•cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 260 kcal
fat: 6 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 260 kcal

Instructions

1
Whisk the fine oatmeal, medium oatmeal, plain flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
2
Pour in the warm water and warm milk while whisking constantly to create a smooth, runny batter.
3
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes until frothy.
4
Heat a heavy cast iron frying pan or griddle over medium heat on the hob.
5
Brush the hot pan lightly with melted butter to coat the cooking surface evenly.
6
Stir the rested batter gently, then pour a ladleful into the centre of the pan.
7
Tilt and swirl the pan quickly to spread the batter into a thin, even disc.
8
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the surface is dry and dotted with tiny holes.
9
Flip carefully using a palette knife and cook the reverse side for 1 minute until pale golden.
10
Transfer to a wire cooling rack and repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan between batches.

Chef's tips

The batter should pour like thin single cream; stir in an extra splash of warm water if it thickens while standing. To dry them crisp in the traditional style, place the cooked oatcakes on a wire rack in an oven at 100°C for 30 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

fine oatmeal → rolled porridge oats ground finely in a food processor
unsalted butter → lard or mild vegetable oil
semi-skimmed milk → unsweetened oat milk or additional warm water

Storage

Store cooled oatcakes in an airtight tin for up to 3 days or freeze separated by sheets of greaseproof paper for up to 1 month.

Reheating

Warm under a medium grill for 1 minute or toast briefly in a dry frying pan on the hob until hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Making the batter too thick, which creates heavy, doughy griddle cakes instead of thin oatcakes.
•Flipping before the top surface has fully dried, which causes the delicate oatcake to tear.
•Setting the hob heat too high, which scorches the oats before the middle sets.

Serving suggestions

Spread warm with salted farmhouse butter and crumbly Lancashire cheese.Roll around grilled back bacon and fried mushrooms for a hearty breakfast.Drizzle with black treacle or golden syrup for a traditional sweet treat.