Bara Planc (Welsh Bakestone Bread)
A soft white bread cooked slowly on a griddle instead of in the oven: the old farmhouse bread of Wales.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 2 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Bread
- Cuisine
- Welsh
Bara planc means "plank bread", from the planc, the iron bakestone or griddle used on Welsh hearths. Before many homes had an oven, bread was cooked on it in thick rounds, turned once, until it had a speckled, floury crust top and bottom.
It is wonderful split while still warm and spread with butter and jam.
Ingredients
- 450 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast, 1 sachet
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 25 g butter, softened
- 300 ml warm milk and water, mixed half and half, roughly
Equipment
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- Bakestone, griddle or heavy frying panHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the butter, then add enough of the warm milk and water to make a soft dough.
- 2
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- 3
Knock back the dough and divide in two. Shape each half into a round about 2 cm thick, dust with flour and leave to prove for 20 minutes.
- 4
Heat a bakestone or heavy frying pan over a low to medium heat. Cook each round for 10–12 minutes, then turn and cook for 10–12 minutes more, until both sides are browned in patches and the bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
- 5
Cool for a few minutes wrapped in a clean tea towel, then split and serve warm.
Tips
A heavy cast-iron griddle or bakestone gives the steady, gentle heat this needs. For a sweeter treat from the same bakestone, make Welsh cakes.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt outside, doughy inside | Heat too high or rounds too thick | Cook low and slow; keep the rounds about 2 cm thick |
| Dense bread | Under-proved | Let the dough double in size before shaping |
Frequently asked questions
What does bara planc mean?
It is Welsh for "plank bread", after the planc, the iron griddle or bakestone it is cooked on.
Can I bake it in the oven instead?
Yes, at 220°C / 200°C fan for about 20–25 minutes, but you lose the speckled griddle crust that makes it special.
How do I know it is cooked through?
Both sides should be browned in patches and the bread should sound hollow when tapped underneath. If unsure, cook a few minutes longer on a low heat.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
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Card photos: Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A flat round iron griddle, Rajani Gairshail via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A cast iron skillet, NMorales (WMF) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A loaf of bara brith on a festive table, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A bowl of meaty Welsh cawl with bread, Worm That Turned via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A bowl of leek and potato soup in a clear broth, Roundhere44 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. All credits: image credits.