What Exactly Is A British Breakfast Bap?

Among breakfast foods, the breakfast sandwich's classic combination of buttered carbs and savory fillings can really hit the spot, whether you're sitting down for a relaxing morning meal or grabbing a bite to eat as you run out the door. And you can make seemingly endless variations of breakfast sandwiches with different types of meats, cheeses, and breads. Plus, sandwiches are usually easy to make without making a huge mess. 

If you're looking for a delectable morning treat, look no further than the British breakfast bap sandwich, a version of the classic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich that many breakfast connoisseurs in the United States know and love. This version is enveloped in a bap, a type of Scottish roll popular throughout the United Kingdom. Baps are made with a lot of fat, which makes them particularly tender and hearty, and able to support the savory richness of many sandwich ingredients. Fill these fluffy buns with bacon, eggs, some cheese, and a cheeky dab of HP Sauce, and you've crafted a traditional British breakfast bap.

The defining ingredient of the British breakfast bap is the bap itself. These rolls are used mainly for sandwiches, and hail from the bakeries of Scotland. Baps are made with lard or butter, a tradition that derived from an old Scottish baking trick. Because they were the first items baked, these "morning rolls" were placed toward the top of the oven, where they cooked in scorching temperatures. Fats like lard and butter in the dough kept the rolls soft under the high heat. Their fatty consistency and round shape make baps appealing as buns for breakfast sandwiches. Like a hamburger bun, baps are the perfect size for holding in hand, and their round shape and fluffy dough form an ideal cradle for messy sauces, runny eggs, and juicy meats.

To craft the breakfast bap sandwich, prepare breakfast meat such as sausage or bacon ("rashers" in the U.K.), and an egg. If you like a runny yolk, you can make a fried egg; otherwise, cook a small omelet and fold it to match the bun. Add shredded cheese to the egg as it finishes cooking. Additional toppings — such as mushrooms, onions, or even potatoes — can be cooked along with other fillings. As the cheese melts, place the open faces of the bap on the hot pan to give them a quick toast. Stack the egg, sausage, and toppings, and transfer the cheesy pile onto the bap, creating your finished British bap breakfast sandwich.

Although the bap is a distinctly Scottish bread, the rest of a British breakfast bap sandwich is pretty similar to its American cousin. If you want to stick with a British influence, besides using a bap, you can add a few breakfast foods popular in the U.K. to your morning plate.

For instance, a side of baked beans. Baked beans are a common breakfast item at British tables, and are traditionally served on toast. They are one of the star ingredients in a recipe for a full English breakfast and provide an additional savory profile while also giving off notes of sweetness. You can also add black pudding, a sausage made of a thick mixture of pig or beef blood, fat, and oats that tastes rich and earthy. If you'd prefer to steer clear of this quirky option, try topping your plate with bubble and squeak, a fried combination of (traditionally leftover) potatoes and cabbage.

To make your breakfast bap especially British, douse your toasted baps with a classic British brown sauce — HP Sauce. This umami-laden condiment is a staple in British cooking culture and has a taste similar to Worcestershire sauce. Although HP Sauce is used on everything from shepherd's pie to corned beef, its rich, tangy flavor pairs well with eggs and cheese, making it an excellent topping for your British breakfast bap.