How to make Gal Banis, oven and stove top methods
Gal Banis are similar to scones and is a type of sweet hard bun that is perfect for afternoon teatime. In this recipe, we're making Chocolate Gal Banis 2 ways, in an oven and on the stove.
There is an old folktale in Sri Lanka that you only need to eat one of these Gal Banis to be full all day because it is very filling.
The reason we add desiccated Coconut for this recipe is so that it will improve the taste and it will also help preserve the Gal Banis for some time. You can buy desiccated Coconut from the store or you can make it at home simply by lightly toasting grated Coconut.
Don't try to eat these Gal Banis as soon you bake it. They become tastier as they cool down. Gal Banis has many names in Sri Lanka including Rock Bun, Rock Cake, Rocke, Gatta Banis, and Tea Cake.
The way a bakery would usually make this would be to take the leftover bread, buns, and cake for that day and then blend it into a mixture and then make the Gal Banis.
Ingredients
- 200g of Sugar
- 300g of All Purpose Flour
- Half a tsp of Baking Powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon Powder (optional)
- Crushed Cardamom (optional)
- 60g of Cocoa Powder (you can skip this ingredient if you don't want the chocolate version)
- Vanilla Extract
- 130g of Butter
- Handful of desiccated Coconut
- 1 Egg
- 3 tbsp of Milk
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of the 200g of Sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
- When the Sugar starts browning, add half a cup of Water.
- Stir frequently until all of the Sugar has melted.
- Now add the remaining Sugar.
- Add another half a cup of Water.
- Stir frequently until all of the Sugar has melted.
- Add Salt to taste.
- After all the Sugar has melted, take it off the stove and let it cool down.
- Add 300g of All Purpose Flour into a sieve.
- Add half a tsp of Baking Powder into the sieve.
- Sieve this mixture into a bowl.
- Add some Cinnamon Powder into the bowl (optional).
- Add some crushed Cardamom (optional).
- Sieve 60g of Cocoa Powder into the bowl (skip this step if you don't want the chocolate version).
- Add some Vanilla Extract.
- Add 130g of Butter.
- Mix all these ingredients together thoroughly using your hands.
- Add a handful of desiccated Coconut.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Now add the Sugar syrup we made earlier, a little at a time, while mixing thoroughly.
- Now add 1 Egg and keep mixing.
- Add 3 tbsp of Milk and mix thoroughly until you get a dough that is sticking together.
Oven Method
- Cover a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Using a spoon, scoop some of the dough into your hands and shape it into a ball.
- Place each of the pieces on top of the baking tray with enough space in between each piece.
- Preheat the oven to 190 celsius.
- Bake the Gal Banis for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Stove Method
- Cover the inside of a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Using a spoon, scoop some of the dough into your hands and shape it into a ball.
- Place each of the pieces inside the baking pan with enough space in between each piece.
- Heat a large pot over the stove.
- Place the baking pan inside the large pot.
- Cover the large pot and cook for about 45 minutes over low heat.
Photos
