The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Donna wins tattie scone world title
Donna Cunningham quite literally brought home the bacon with her winning creation at this year’s World Tattie Scone Championship.
Hundreds flocked to the Nairn Community and Arts Centre to watch more than 20 hopefuls compete in a battle of the breakfast favourites.
Contestants were given mashed potato, flour, butter and salt, and the rest was up to them.
Ingredient choices ranged from locally sourced cheeses and jams to slightly more questionable entries topped with marshmallows, chocolate and lollipops.
Miss Cunningham’s maple syrup and bacon tattie scone scored above the rest with the three judges, making her this year’s champion.
As for her inspiration, the student at Moray College UHI relied on a flavour combination she knew would be a hit, saying: “I love pancakes with maple and bacon, I think everyone does.”
The 55-year-old from Elgin said she was “delighted” to have won the tattie scone trophy at Saturday’s event, which was part of a wider Taste of Nairn celebration.
She let us into her secrets of the delicious delicacy.
“It has to be the best smoked bacon loin, no added water, I think it’s Simon Howie that I used,” she said.
“Finely dice it then into the frying pan with a bit of oil, a bit of butter until it’s almost crispy then take it off the heat.
“Take mashed potato, flour and butter, I use selfraising flour, and I put an egg yolk in mine as well to help it rise.
“I added two quite big tablespoons of maple syrup, three bits of the bacon loin, then that’s it.
“I combined all the ingredients together, added a little more flour so it wasn’t too soft, then patted it down with my hands, I didn’t use the rolling pin.
“I fried it in the same juices that came out the bacon and cooked it on a gentle heat.”
Miss Cunningham explained that making a winning tattie scone doesn’t come easy, having worked her way through many different combinations to find one that was just right for the championships.
Luckily, she had her sonin-law to lighten the tastetesting load.
She added: “This recipe that won today was actually the last one I tried and it went down well.”