Using a griddle

As I have said, bread and scones used to be cooked on a griddle or heavy bakestone because few rural houses had ovens. Today, heavy iron griddles are still obtainable, but the hotplate of an electric or solid fuel cooker can be used equally well, or a heavy frying pan with a flat base.

The griddle should be put on to heat before the dough is mixed. To test the heat, a little flour should be sprinkled on. If it browns at once, the griddle is too hot. If the flour takes a few seconds to brown, the heat is right. For scones and bannocks, the griddle was traditionally floured; for crumpets and drop scones it was lightly greased to prevent sticking, using a piece of suet wrapped in a clean rag. The general rule was ‘floured for dough, greased for batter’. A griddle should never be washed, but should be rubbed when hot with coarse salt and a piece of clean paper, and then dusted with a cloth.