Everyday Milk Rolls, Yorkshire’s Soda Bread

I don’t mind admitting that when I first set out to bake these milk rolls I didn’t feel super inspired. I’d been planning on making teacakes, but time was against me and I needed to bake. But, actually, now they’re done and (the remaining six) are waiting to be slathered in butter, I’m quite pleased with them.

There’s just something great (and very Yorkshire Grub) about how everyday they are. There are four ingredients (and you could cut it to three if you glazed with milk instead of egg), all of which are probably in your cupboard right now.

You could get them out, start cooking and be done with the bit that requires any effort in 10 minutes. In 30, you’d be eating them with a thick spread of butter and eggs or jam.

I love the everyday-ness of that. It’s something you find a lot in Yorkshire recipes – they’re for everyday cooking, not one-offs when you want to impress people. Baking should be for life, not just for weekends! There’s nothing to stop you baking a snack rather than unwrapping it.

I suppose you’d call milk rolls quick breads, given that they don’t use yeast or have a rise, but are heavier than cake.  A professional baker might contradict me on that, though! But they’re basically a soda bread, with regular milk instead of buttermilk. Think of them as being a little like less-crumbly scones.

They’re great topped with butter and eggs (I threw on some avocado at breakfast, too) but would also work well with something sweet, or for dunking in soup.

And that is all I have to say about milk rolls.

Print Recipe

Everyday Milk Rolls

These milk rolls are so easy that there's no reason you couldn't whip up a batch for breakfast in place of toast.

Cuisine

Yorkshire

Servings

rolls

Ingredients

• 450 g self-raising flour
• 60 g butter , chilled
• 300 ml milk
• 1 egg , beaten

Cuisine Yorkshire Servings rolls Ingredients 450 g self-raising flour 60 g butter , chilled 300 ml milk 1 egg , beaten

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (gas mark 6).
2. Grate the butter into the flour and rub it in. If your butter isn't salted, add a pinch.
3. Mix in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a soft (but not sticky) dough.
4. Divide the dough into eight pieces and roll into balls. Score the tops, as this will allow the rolls to rise more quickly. Place on a floured baking sheet and stick them in the oven.
5. After 10 minutes, remove the rolls and glaze with the beaten egg. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a rack, but not too long - they're good served warm with butter!

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