Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

bap ‘the traditional morning roll of Scotland’ (Marian McNeill, 1929), which is also made in Ireland, is a soft roll. The term, which has been in use since the late 16th century, is of unknown derivation.

Dough for baps is lively, sometimes including butter or lard to ensure tenderness; the crust is well dusted with flour before baking in a hot oven. Shapes vary, from triangular to square to torpedo (Dublin), though round is now most common. It is customary to press a floured finger into the centre of each bap before baking to prevent blistering of the crust. In Scotland, baps are never sweetened, but currant baps are made in Ireland.