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Ghanaian rock buns
Rock buns: craggy, nutmeg-scented sweet buns with raisins, a Ghanaian bakery and school favourite
Rock buns came to Ghana with colonial-era baking and never left: every neighbourhood bakery and many school canteens sell these rough, golden mounds, eaten with tea in the morning or with a soft drink after school. They are crisp on the craggy outside, soft and cakey inside, scented with nutmeg and studded with raisins. They take minutes to mix and are a good first bake for children. Chef's tip: keep the dough stiff and drop it in rough heaps without smoothing; too much milk is the common mistake, and the buns spread into flat cookies instead of rising into 'rocks'.
- Total time
- 33 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 9 oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ½ oz cold butteror baking margarine, diced
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 2 ⅞ oz raisins
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milkas needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (fan 350°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 9 oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp ground nutmeg and 1 pinch salt in a bowl. Rub in 3 ½ oz cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.
5 minStep 4: Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp milk, pour into the bowl and mix with a fork until it comes together into a stiff, lumpy dough. Add a little more milk only if dry flour remains.
3 minStep 5: Drop 12 rough heaps onto the tray with two forks, leaving space between them. Do not smooth them.
4 minStep 6: Bake until risen, golden brown and firm on top, and a skewer comes out clean.
16 minStep 7: Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Best eaten the same day; they keep for 2 days in a tin.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghanaian rock buns take?
- About 33 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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