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Berreenyn Keyl (Manx Slim Cakes)

Cinnamon Bonnag (Manx Slim Cakes) is a traditional Manx recipe (from the Isle of Man) for a classic griddle cake made from a soda bread mix with currants. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Manx version of: Manx Slim Cakes (Berreenyn Keyl).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

70 minutes

Total Time:

90 minutes

Makes:

4 loaves

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesMilk RecipesBaking RecipesCake RecipesBritish RecipesManx Recipes

These are thin, oblong (rectangle) shaped griddle cakes, very popular on the Isle of Man. Manx slim cakes hearken back to the original method of making bonnag as a flat griddle cake.

Bonnag is a traditional Manx bread which, it is believed, has been around for hundreds of years.

Bonnag is traditionally served with butter or some people like it dry, we like to give our guests the opportunity to try it many different ways. We also offer our guests fresh homemade marmalade, jam and a popular one Manx honey.

Bonnag and Scottish Bannock share an etymology and are similar in preparation. However, it does seem that the original spelling of bonnag was 'sonnag' and it was only after the introduction of modern baking soda did the bonnag spelling enter the vernacular. The Isle of Man's original grains would have been barley and oats not wheat.

The original Bonnag was a barley cake, about the size of a breakfast plate, cooked on a griddle. This was prevalent until the 1860s when chemical leavening (originally bicarbonate of soda with buttermilk and then double action baking soda) became popular and the traditional bonnags were replaced by the more cake-like forms of today, though barley was probably stillt the main grain.

Dried fruit also became prevalent in the mid 19th century and by the 1890s bonnag had become fruited breads leavened with soda with wheat flour becoming more common than barley. Indeed, the increased gluten in wheat flour is needed for a bonnag to rise properly. Though to be fair, imported wheat did not fully replace barley as the island's staple grain until the 1910s.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
115g (4 oz) lard
pinch sea-salt
85g (3 oz) sugar
85g (3 oz) currants
1 egg
200ml (2/5 cup) buttermilk.

Method:

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and salt into a mixing bowl. Dive the lard, soften slightly then rub into the flour mix with your fingertisp until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and currants, stirring them to combine. Mix in the beaten egg then gradually work in just enough of the buttermilk to bring everything together as a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until smooth and elastic.

Roll out to about 6mm (1/4 in) thick and cut into rectangular shapes.

Set a buttered griddle (or large non-stick frying pan) to heat and when hot add the cut doght and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely golden and cooked through.

Transfer to a plate, sprinkle over some granulated sugar and serve. As an alternative, they can be spread with a mix of ground cinnamon and sugar or spread with jam.