there's something warm in receiving a handwritten recipe:
like a baton being passed on:
cakes we are so familiar with:
the stuff of childhood and family:
hopefully these staples of baking will
always be handed along:
I'm doing just that for you ....
{my tweaked version}
Rock Cakes
you will need ....
90g plain flour
90g wholemeal flour
{or 180g plain flour}
85g cold unsalted butter
85g caster sugar
85g seedless raisins
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 generous pinch of cinnamon
an egg
a little milk
preheat your oven to 180°c/350°f/gas 4:
line some baking sheets with greaseproof paper:
in a large bowl, add the flours and give them a little stir
with a whisk, to de-lump:
{a little tip I picked up from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall}
add the sugar and butter cut into little pieces:
now rub the butter into the flour and sugar until it looks
like sandy rubble:
mix in the cinnamon, raisins and baking powder:
whisk the egg in a small bowl and add to the mix:
mix mix and add a little {and I mean a scant little}
milk to bind it all together:
it should be dry & crumbly so don't worry!
pile rocky heaps onto your baking sheets:
leaving space for them to spread:
you should easily make 12 rocks:
bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown:
leave to cool slightly before putting onto a
cooling rack:
these will keep for 3-4 days in a tin:
as if!
{these are delish with dried apricots, cranberries or blueberries:
swap the cinnamon for lemon/orange zest for a fruity hit}
