This is a great, delicious alternative method of baking scones, and it doesn’t take long to bake.
Serves Apricot scone cake.8.
Ingredients:
375g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
50g castor sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
125g dried apricots, finely chopped
100ml full-cream milk
2 medium eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C. Mix flour, baking powder and ¼ tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Add butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs – or pulse butter into the flour mixture in a food processor (then empty into a bowl). Mix in castor sugar and dried apricots.
In a jug, beat milk, eggs and vanilla. Set aside 1 tbsp of this mixture for the glaze. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, pour in egg mixture and stir, using a cutlery knife, until dough comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly to bring together, then flatten out to a rough 20cm diameter (about 2,5cm thick).
Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. With a sharp knife, deeply score into 8 wedges. Brush the top with reserved egg mixture, then sprinkle a little sugar over.
Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Serve just warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges and split in half. Top with clotted cream and jam, if you like.