Aberdeen Butteries - Rowies

Aberdeen butteries, also known as rowies, are Scottish pastry-like bread rolls; flaky, buttery, flattened rolls that are sort of like rustic croissants. For some reason, the tradition when serving is to spread the butter (if you really think it needs more butter!) and jam (yes, please!) on the flat bottom of the buttery.

But I have to tell you, I just peeked through the oven window and my butteries are not very "flattened." They are decidedly puffy! Can't wait to try one! But I might have to flatten them out a bit more next time in the interests of authenticity. Also, butteries are described as dense; and mine are instead light and airy.

Aberdeen butteries are traditionally made with lard. Some people make them with half lard and half butter. And, I'm told, commercial bakers now use vegetable oil. Well, I'm not a fan of either lard or vegetable oil, so I made all-butter butteries because, as you might know, I'm a huge fan of organic unsalted butter.

The shaping of the rolls isn't that crucial. They're supposed to be "rustic" in appearance so don't need to be perfectly round or perfectly anything. I did it this way (my own way!): I took a square of dough, turned it over in my hand, folded the corners in to the center, then sort of went all around the outer edge pinching the dough up as if making a Chinese steamed bun, turned it back over and flattened it a bit.

Unlike croissant dough, buttery dough doesn't need to be chilled between turns. But if you find the butter getting too melt-y at any point, just wrap the dough and pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes, as I did this time before rolling the dough out for the fourth time and for the final time. Rather than greasing the baking sheet, you flour it! This was a first for me, and I was none too sure about it, but went along. I think the idea is that the flour takes up the butter that comes out while baking.

Have you ever made Aberdeen butteries/rowies? Or ever had them? Or even heard of them? 

Aberdeen Butteries

(Makes 16)

3 dip-and-sweep cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (12 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (7 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (5 grams) salt
1 1/4 cup (10 fluid ounces/296 ml) water, room temperature
2 1/4 sticks (9 ounces/255 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour the water into it, stirring to form dough. It might look like you need more water, but knead lightly with one hand, right in the bowl, to bring the dough together before adding any water.

2 Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Use only as much flour as you need to keep dough from sticking to the counter (I measure out 1/8 cup in advance to work from so that I'm sure to not add too much) . The dough will feel sticky, but it won't actually stick. Place flattened ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure so I can quickly see when it has doubled) and cover loosely with lightly oiled lid or plastic wrap (no need to oil lid or plastic wrap if container is large enough that the doubled dough won't reach it). Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

3 Meanwhile, in a 1.5-quart bowl, cream the room temperature butter. Divide it into 4 equal portions.

4 Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface. Press and roll it out to a 16x8-inch/40x20 cm rectangle about 1/2 inch/1 cm thick.

5 With short edge facing you, spread one portion of the butter over two-thirds of the rectangle. Fold the unbuttered third over the middle third, and then fold the remaining third over that.

6 Roll the dough again to the same size rectangle. Repeat the spreading and folding. Repeat two more times.

7 Roll out dough in the same way a final time. Cut the rectangle of dough into 16 equal pieces. To shape the buns, take a square of dough and turn its corners under into the center, pressing down to seal, and form a round, flat bun. Place buns on a floured (I used 1/4 cup/1.25 ounces/35 grams) 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan. Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

8 Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. When buns have risen, bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool buns on wire rack.

Note: They keep well stored tightly covered at room temperature for a few days, and taste good at room temperature. But if you want to regain the "shattery" crispness of the just-baked buns, reheat loosely wrapped in foil for about 8 or 10 minutes in preheated 350F/180C/Gas4 oven.