This wonderful campfire recipe was submitted by Marketing Specialist Sheila Wiebe.
Dough boys are based on a cherished family tea biscuit recipe from Sheila’s grandma, Bertha Lee. Born in 1898 in Otterville, Ontario, Grandma Lee died at the ripe old age of 102.
Today, Grandma Lee’s recipe is one of Sheila’s most treasured (and used), and Sheila thinks Grandma Lee would be tickled pink to know it’s been shared with Parks Blog readers.
The Recipe
Before you leave home:
To cook these tasty treats over the campfire, you’ll need:
- the ingredients (below)
- a mixing bowl
- tupperware container to carry dry ingredients (and later mix wet ingredients)
- a mixing spoon or spatula
- pastry cutter or 2 butter knives
- fork (or small egg beater))
- a dowel (or other roasting tool)
- a copy of the recipe
TIP: Measure and mix your dry ingredients at home to make them easier to pack!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 heaping tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup butter/ shortening/ lard
- 1 cup buttermilk or regular milk with a teaspoon of vinegar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- your favourite filling
March is the perfect time of year to fill your dough boys with fresh maple syrup.
Here are some of the Wiebe family’s other favourite fillings:
- banana and peanut butter
- strawberries and whipped cream
- Nutella
- jam
- chocolate and mini marshmallow (s’more flavour!)
- apple or cherry pie filling
At the park:
Step 1:
Build your campfire, and let it burn for awhile. For this recipe, you will want low flame or even coals.
Step 2:
Carefully pour dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Cut butter (or shortening/lard) into flour until about it’s about the size of peas. Don’t have a pastry cutter? Butter knives will do.
Step 3:
Beat egg until light and fluffy.
Step 4:
Combine cooking oil,milk and egg, then add to dry ingredients. Careful not to over-stir.
Step 5:
Take about a ½-cup of the dough and press it around the buttered end of a thick dowel. (Don’t be shy with the butter.) Make sure that the dough is about the same thickness all the way around the stick and about as long as a hot dog.
Step 6:
Patience is required for the next step: roast the dough slowly and evenly over the open fire for about 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will depends on the thickness of the dough and the heat of the fire. Remember: cooking over a fire is an art more than a science.
Your snack is done when the dough is golden brown and you can easily slide it off the dowel.
Step 7:
Now the fun part: fill your dough boys and eat them while they’re warm from the fire!
