Scots Baps

These are incredibly soft breads, heavily dusted with flour prior to baking, which gives them a neat appearance. They are delicious slathered with butter while still warm. Then again, what isn't?

Scots Baps
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
3/4 cup water
2 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. milk to glaze

Combine milk and water together. Take 1/2 cup of the liquid in a small dish, and sprinkle with yeast and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the dissolved yeast. Mix in the flour. Stir in the reserved milk/water mixture as needed to form a sticky dough. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let dough rest 10 minutes. Then divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a flat oval, about 1/2-inch thick. Place on a floured baking sheet. Brush each bap with milk, and sift with a heavy dusting of flour.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Proof, uncovered, until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes. Sift another dusting of flour onto the baps, and use your thumb to press an indentation into the center of each bap. Bake 15-20 minutes until risen and golden. Cover with a dish towel 10 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.