Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425øF. Flour heavy large baking sheet. Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk and dark molasses in medium bowl to blend. Mix buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Gradually mix in enough remaining buttermilk to form soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface just until dough holds together. Shape into 8-inch round, about 1 1/2 inches high. Cut into 4-wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared sheet, spacing apart. Bake until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool on racks.
Makes 4 small loaves.
Translated from medieval Scottish, farl means, "the fourth part." In this version, quartered rounds of dark bread are sweetened with treacle, which is similar to molasses, and lightly spiced with ginger. The mixture may occasionally include a handful of raisins or other dried fruit, but the bread is always served sliced and buttered, with a cup of tea. |
