The Moose is Loose!
Newfoundland Toutons
with
Butter & Maple Syrup Butter
I love bread, and I also love butter and maple syrup as well as pancakes, so when all of these ingredients come together in a fabulous breakfast, brunch or snack dish, I am a very happy and well-fed bunny! Regular readers of Lavender and Lovage will know that I visited Newfoundland earlier on this year, where I tasted my way through some amazing local dishes, both traditional and with a modern-day twist, but, it was the humble “Touton” that excited me the most and I decided to cook them myself when I came home. Just after I got back from Newfoundland (and Nova Scotia), I attended Food Blogger Connect, an annual event where food writers and bloggers get together for an informative and fun-filled weekend of workshops, talks, demonstrations and FOOD! The food element is part of the “SteEAT Party” which is always my favourite part of the weekend. This year, 2014, we were all treated to tequila, tapas, oats, paella, burgers, sausages, pulled pork, Korean barbecue food, Arabian meze and MOOSE Maple Butter! 
I had tasted the delights of Moose Maple Butter at the previous FBC event in 2013, and I remembered its syrupy and slightly salty unctuousness with fond memories, so when Farrah gave me a WHOLE tub of this decadent maple syrup butter to take home, I was very excited! Moose Maple Butter is pure and decadent, and contains:
I LOVE it and as well as slathering it on toast and pancakes, I also love it on my newly found breakfast recipe treat, Toutons. It also seemed very apt that I serve a traditional Atlantic Canada recipe with another well-known Canadian ingredient, Maple Syrup, albeit in a compound butter. If you want to buy or find a tub of this delectable butter spread, then take a trip over the Locate the Moose page and contact the Moose Girls for more details! But back to my toutons……..
…….I have mentioned these bread type pancakes before, you can see how Lori cooked them for me here: Cloudberries, Tea Buns & Chocolate Shoes: A Postcard from Newfoundland, Atlantic Canada and here is the definition of a touton: Toutons: Pronounced tout(rhymes with pout)-ens and NOT toot-ons as I pronounced it, French style! Fried white bread dough in the style of pancakes or hotcakes; serve with butter and molasses, traditionally made with leftover bread dough for a filling after work or school snack – also made for breakfast and brunch.
To make toutons, you need to have some white bread dough to hand, so I have also shared a simple Newfoundland bread recipe in this post…..but, do look out for another full post with the bread featured in the future. We enjoyed these bread pancakes for breakfast a few weeks ago and although I love them when served in the traditional Newfoundland style with butter and molasses, they were absolutely divine with a dollop of Moose Maple Butter spread on them. I am now a convert to bread pancakes, and although I do offer molasses to accompany toutons on my breakfast table, it’s the moose that is loose that has stolen my heart! DO try this Newfoundland recipe, and also DO try serving them with some maple butter too. That’s all for now, see you later with more recipes, travel tales, reviews and a new giveaway. Karen
Toutons
Print recipe
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 6 minutes |
| Total time | 11 minutes |
| Allergy | Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Region | Canadian |
| From book | Fat Back and Molasses |
Ingredients
- White bread dough (that has risen once)
- back fat or dripping (or butter if you are vegetarian)
- butter and molasses to serve (or maple syrup)
Note
A traditional Newfoundland recipe where pieces of bread dough are fried in pork fat and served with butter and molasses. This was often served for children for breakfast before they went to school as well as a post-school afternoon snack before supper or tea. Use butter to fry the Toutons if you are vegetarian.
Directions
| Step 1 | When the white bread dough has risen and is ready to shape for its second rise, break of some small pieces about the size of an egg and then flatten then in the palms of your hands. |
| Step 2 | Add some back fat, dripping or butter to a heavy based skillet/frying pan and heat it up until the fat has melted (and the back fat pork pieces are crispy); then drop the pieces of bread dough in to the pan. |
| Step 3 | Fry the pieces of bread over a gentle heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, turning them half way through until they have puffed up and are light brown in colour. |
| Step 4 | Serve them immediately with butter and molasses, or with maple syrup, maple syrup butter or golden syrup. |
Newfoundland White Bread
| Serves | 2 x loaves of bread |
| Prep time | 2 hours, 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 3 hours |
| Allergy | Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | Canadian |
| Website | Rock Recipes |
Ingredients
- 625g strong white flour
- 5g packet of quick yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 500mls milk, tepid
- a little butter melted, about 25g
Note
A basic Newfoundland bread recipe that is baked in the traditional shape of between 2 and 3 balls of dough - this bread is perfect for sandwiches, toast and for making Toutons with too. This recipe has been adapted and metricated from the website Rock Recipes. Suitable for freezing.
Directions
| Step 1 | Combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together in a bowl or in a food mixer with a dough hook; then add the melted butter and milk. Knead until smooth - this will take about 8 to 10 minutes, or if using a food mixer, knead for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and has not lumps. |
| Step 2 | Put the dough into a floured bowl and cover with some cling-film or a clean tea towel, set it somewhere warm and allow to rise for about 1 hour - it should double in size in an hour. |
| Step 3 | Grease 2 x 2lb (450g) loaf tins with butter and flour a board or the work surface. Tip the dough out onto the floured surface and cut into 4 or 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place 2 to 3 balls of dough into each loaf tin. Cover and allow to rise for a further 1 hour or so - the dough needs to be 2" (5cms) above the sides of the loaf tin. |
| Step 4 | Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven 180C/375F/Gas 5 until well risen and golden brown. (Check the loaves are cooked by carefully turning them out of the tins and tapping the base of the loaves, they should sound hollow if they are fully baked.) |
| Step 5 | When they are baked, turn them out onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool. If you want, you can brush the tops of the loaves with some melted butter for a glaze and a slightly softer crust. |
The china I used in these photos is Penzance, part of The Caravan Trail by Churchill China.
You can win some of this fabulous china in a giveaway I am currently hosting:
Giveaway: Win a “Penzance” Summer Pudding Baking Set RRP: £75
Kiki says
Looks delish.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Kiki!
Lil says
Absolute swoon at all of this – the maple butter, the toutons, the bread AND the crockery! Must try the toutons for myself. x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Lil! These are so easy to make and taste so much better than normal pancakes, IMHO! Karen xxx
Farrah says
Thank you SO MUCH for this lovely review, amazing photos (just love the plates) and delicious sounding recipe!
Karen Burns-Booth says
You are very welcome Farrah and thanks for giving me the opportunity to bake and cook with your fabulous maple butter!
Galina V says
Gorgeous breakfast foods! I would be happy with a platter of toutons and maple syrup butter. By now I have given up dieting this year, so any extra calories don’t bother me.
Karen Burns-Booth says
LOL! Love that you have given up dieting Galina! 🙂 You would LOVE a plate of these then!
Stuart Vettese says
I’m wondering if toutons are like butteries that we get here in the north of Scotland. They do look similar and have similar ingredients. If they are they are the perfect accompaniment for Moose Maple Butter!
Karen Burns-Booth says
YES! They are VERY similar to Butteries Stuart, Buttery Rowies are they called? My grandmother used to make them……..as you say, they are perfect with maple butter!
Janice says
Great to see the toutons at last, it did make me giggle, but I would have pronounced them French style too. Definitely not for every day with all that fat, but a lovely treat.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Janice! Yes, typical me to pronounce it the French way, and I am glad you would have done the same too! Karen
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I always leave your site with just one more bookmarked recipe.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Aw thanks Bintu! I hope you manage to make a batch of these one morning!
Ali Thorpe says
I just shared this recipe. This is THE Sunday morning brekky for me.
lori says
I was very surprised to find toutons on your blog! I am from newfoundland and have eaten many. I have several traditional newfoundland recipes on my blog you may like. Hope you will take a look. I am loving your historical recipes. I am going to make your mince pies and scones for Christmas.
Thanks for sharing those recipes.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Lori – I was lucky enough to visit Newfoundland earlier this year where a lovely local lady and chef, Lori Butler (The Island Chef) cooked them for me, and as soon as I got home I made some myself here!
I will pop over to see you blog and thanks for visiting me and for your kind comments!
Karen
Rob Cardenas says
My mom was born and raised in St John’s and we ate toutons as kids for snacks. However, my mom fried the bread and sprinkled with salt and that’s how we ate them. My wife and sister in law sprinkle with sugar. I’ve never tried them any other way than salted but will have to try them with the maple buttetr. The dough is rising….I can’t wait
Karen Burns-Booth says
I think they can be eaten savoury or sweet Rob, and I tied them in St John’s with molasses, which was fabulous! Thanks so much for popping by to share your experiences and telling me about how your mum cooked and served toutons. Karen
barbara daniels says
scrambled eggs
Michelle Rolfe says
Hi Karen, I love this post! We’ve just had our tub of Moose Maple Butter sent to us and I can’t wait to test it out on a few recipes from my home ( which happens to be Nova Scotia!). I was reading other posts about the maple butter and loved reading yours as it brings back so many memories from home for me. I hope you had a lovely time on the East Coast of Canada – it truly is a special place with such great food and people. All the best, Michelle
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Michelle! I still have some posts to write about Novia Scotia, as I was also there last year too, and you can read all about my Atlantic Canada experiences here: Atlantic Canada Eats Karen 🙂
Liz Reid says
do you prepare the yeast as it says to on the package first ,before adding to flour mixture
Liz Reid says
For the homemade bread
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Liz, no, I used instant quick action yeast that is added straight into the flour and other ingredients. Karen
Karen says
Tuesday was Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday.A Tradition in Nl is to put trinkets in the pancakes for the children.Buttons,pennies,etc. represented different thing.We always have toutons and molasses.A little homemade jam,partridgeberry,blueberry or bakeapple is added to mine……always yummy…..
Karen Burns-Booth says
What a Wonderful idea, such a great tradition – thanks for sharing this with us, Karen
Barry C. Parsons says
Glad you had such a success with your toutons. We make them with many things nowadays including blueberry sauce and maple apples. I even use them as a base for Eggs Benedict. That’s delicious! I’m off to read about your adventures in my home province. I hope you come back to see us some time.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank so much Barry – I LOVE your magical province and hope that I will return one day, as three and half days was FAR too short to explore! Karen
Kat says
Hi Karen – I’m planning to make brioche using your recipe on the weekend – what do you think of using a bit of the dough to make toutons for breakfast? Obviously they will be much sweeter than if made with proper bread dough (which is not going to be a problem as far as my sweet toothed son and husband are concerned), but it’s also a buttery eggy pastry kind of dough, do you think it’ll work? I’ve never made either brioche or toutons… I am intending to bake some white bread in the coming weeks, so if this isn’t a great idea, I will hold off and try out the toutons with something more suitable.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi Kat,
Sorry for my later reply, I have been away from home!
Yes, the brioche dough will work, albeit sweeter, and slightly softer in texture too. Just drop it from a spoon if it is too soft to handle.
Thanks so much for your interest in my recipes,
Karen