Make Anglo-Saxon Honey Oat Cakes

From around 410AD, the Anglo-Saxons came to England from northern Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. They were a mix of tribes. The three biggest tribes were the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes.

Anglo-Saxons farmed their food. They grew crops such as barley, wheat and oats and grew vegetables such as beans, peas, onions, parsnips and cabbage. Sheep, cattle and pigs were kept for wool, milk and meat. They also hunted deer and wild boar.

Barley was used to make weak beer, which was drunk instead of water. They couldn’t drink the water from rivers because it was often polluted. People used honey to make their food sweet. Sugar wasn’t available in Britain until much later.

Here is the recipe for you to try. In Saxon times these cakes would have been cooked on a heavy griddle over an open fire.

Poole Museum – Louise Diffey

Adult supervision is required.

Type of Activity : Cooking

How many people required (minimum) : 1

Safety Measures : Please ask an adult to help you use the oven and hob.

Ages : 8+

Time Required: 1-2 hours including time to cool

Step 1

Prepare and measure out all your ingredients.

Step 2

Melt the butter into a medium-sized saucepan.

Step 3

Add the salt, honey and oats and mix well.

Step 4

Leave the mixture to cool down.

Step 5

When cooled, take a handful of the mixture, roll into a ball and flatten down to make a small, flat cake.

Step 6

Do this with the rest of the mixture and put the cakes on a plate.

Step 7

To cook the cakes, heat some butter in a frying or griddle pan. Carefully place the cakes into the pan. Don't overcrowd the pan as they won't cook evenly.

Step 8

Cook lightly on both sides until they are golden brown, taking care not to burn them.

Step 9

Turn out onto a plate and enjoy.