DROPPED SCONES WITH DRUNKEN FRUITS

Prep time: 1 week Cook time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time

Serves 4

In Scotland they refer to what the English call drop scones, or Scotch pancakes, as dropped scones. What’s more they cook them on a girdle, not a griddle. It’s basically a round cast-iron plate that sits directly on the stove with an arched steel handle that enables you to move it around while the scones cook. This recipe is a great way to use up any dregs from bottles in your spirit cupboard, or miniatures you’ve been hoarding.

INGREDIENTS

For the fruits

– 100-120g good-quality dried fruits (apricots, prunes and smaller fruits like sultanas and cranberries) – 150ml alcohol (port, sherry, liqueurs, whisky, brandy etc) – 1-2 tsp cornflour

For the dropped scones

– 130g gluten-free

self-raising flour – 15g caster sugar

– ½ tbsp maple or

golden syrup

– 1 egg, beaten – 120-130ml milk – butter for greasing

METHOD

Put the fruits in a bowl and pour over 200ml of boiling water. Leave for 3-4 hours then add the alcohol. Cover and leave somewhere cool for a week. The fruits should all be nice and soft and boozy – if the larger fruits aren’t soft and tender you can simmer them gently in some of the soaking liquid.

Strain the soaking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, then dilute the cornflour in a little water and stir in enough to thicken the liquid. Simmer gently for a couple of minutes then pour back over the fruits and leave to cool.

To make the dropped scones, sieve the flour into a bowl, then stir in the sugar, syrup, egg and enough of the milk to form a thick, smooth batter that just drops off the spoon.

Heat a griddle pan, girdle or non-stick frying pan and rub it with a little butter. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and let them cook for a couple of minutes until bubbles rise, then turn them over with a palette knife or spatula and cook for another minute. Place them on kitchen paper while you are cooking the rest of the mixture.

To serve, place the scones on serving plates then spoon over the fruit. This is lovely served with a spoonful of clotted cream, thick yogurt or ice cream.