Fill the tins

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, time to put Angela Casley’s beautiful baking on the agenda

WHOLEMEAL DATE AND LEMON SCONE WHEEL Makes 8-10

There is nothing nicer for Mum than fresh baking on the bench and a tidy kitchen, just in time for morning tea. Date scones are my favourite, but they must be bulging with dates. Here I have added some cinnamon and lemon. Make the scones in a wheel for a change — it’s quick and gives you lots of crunchy sides, which are my favourite bits.

2 cups dried dates, cut into thirds

1 ½ cups plain flour

1 ½ cups wholemeal flour

2 Tbsp sugar

Pinch salt

6 tsp baking powder

Zest of 1 lemon

½ tsp cinnamon

100g butter, cut into cubes

1 cup milk

Icing sugar to dust

1. Preheat an oven to 200C.

2. Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain well.

3. Place the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, zest, cinnamon and butter in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flours until it forms breadcrumb-sized bits. Add the dates and mix through.

4. Pour the milk in the middle and mix through, using a knife with a cutting motion.

5. Place the mixture on a lightly floured bench and press into a circle. Cut into 8 or 10 wedges. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

6. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and with butter on the side.

BLUEBERRY BAKEWELL SLICE Makes 16 slices

If you find a few gaps in the slice once you have placed the topping, that is fine, it will spread as it cooks. Other berries are just as delicious — or try my feijoa bakewell tart on Viva. co. nz. This is wonderfully moist, great with a morning coffee or as a wee treat for dessert.

Base

180g flour

¼ cup caster sugar

80g butter, softened

3 Tbsp cold water

2 cups blueberries — fresh in season or frozen

Topping

120g butter, softened 120g caster sugar 1 egg

150g ground almonds 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp almond essence ½ cup sliced almonds Icing sugar, to dust

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease a 20 x 30cm tin.

2. Place the flour, sugar and butter into a bowl, working it together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix until combined. Press into the base of the tin and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

3. Sprinkle over the blueberries. For the topping, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat through, then the ground almonds, baking powder and almond essence. Spread carefully over the blueberries then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Place into an oven for 30 minutes or until set in the middle. Remove and cool before cutting.