Martha very kindly wrote out the recipe for me – thanks to Mum for passing it on!

Ingredients

175g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

150g butter

150g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g plain natural yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 apple (peeled, cored and chopped)

50g oats

250g cherries (washed and stones removed – you could use frozen but fresh are better)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (160 fan) gas mark 4. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in 2 tbsp of the flour mixture and then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well.

3. Gradually add in the flour mix and the yoghurt until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped apple, oats and cherries and then pour into a lined tin – I used my brownie pan which was the perfect size. Level the mixture with a palette knife.

4. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, cover and then bake for a further 25-30 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin.

Enjoy! It is delicious on its own or with custard!

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Ingredients

225g self-raising flour
¼ tsp salt
50g slightly salted butter, chilled, cut in small pieces
25g golden caster sugar
100g glacé cherries, chopped (optional)
125ml buttermilk
4 tbsp full-fat milk
a little extra flour for dusting
strawberry jam and clotted cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C and lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you’re using a non-stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Add the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it’s a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar before adding the cherries. Mix well.

2. Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it. Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round-bladed knife, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding a little bit back in case it’s not needed. Using the knife, gently work the mixture together until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough. Work in any loose dry bits of mixture with the rest of the buttermilk. Don’t overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.

3. Lift the ball of soft dough out of the bowl and put it on to a very lightly floured surface. Knead the mixture just 3-4 times to get rid of the cracks.

4. Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip a 5.5cm round fluted cutter into a bowl of flour – this helps to stop the dough sticking to it, then cut out the scones by pushing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of your hand – don’t twist it.You will hear the dough give a big sigh as the cutter goes in. Gather the trimmings lightly then pat and cut out a couple more scones.

5. Place on the baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze if you wish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, or covered loosely with a cloth for soft ones.

6. Serve with jam and a generous mound of clotted cream (Cornish people put cream first, then jam, Devonians the other way round). Eat them as fresh as you can – or pop them in the freezer once cooled.

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This recipe appeared in the June 2014 issue of BBC Good Food magazine, but is originally taken from ‘Three Sisters Bake‘ by Gillian, Nichola and Linsey Reith.

Ingredients

For the shortbread base
280g plain flour
125g caster sugar (I used golden, but any is fine)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
180g cold unsalted butter, cubed (plus extra for greasing)

For the fudgy ginger topping
180g unsalted butter
100g golden syrup
375g icing sugar
2 tsp ground ginger

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Line the base of your tin with baking parchment and butter the sides.

2. To make the shortbread base, place the flour, sugar, baking powder and ginger in a food processor and pulse briefly to mix the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you could mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and rub in the butter by hand.

3. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared tin, levelling it out using a spatula. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the shortbread is golden brown. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack. (Although the original recipe says to take it out of the tin, I let it cool completely in it because it needs to be in the tin when you make the topping.)

4. When completely cool, make the topping. Place the butter and syrup in a pan and melt on a very low heat. Sift the icing sugar and ground ginger into the melted mixture and beat well (the original recipe says to beat with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes, but I just did it by hand for about a minute).

5. Pour the topping over the shortbread and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Allow to set at room temperature before cutting into bars. Store in an air-tight tin. Enjoy!

Post updated 18th July 2016.

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Ingredients (makes two layers, I used two loose-bottomed 20cm cake tins lined with greaseproof paper)

225g/8oz self-raising flour

225g/8oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz golden caster sugar

4 medium size eggs, beaten

One cap full of vanilla extract (it’s worth investing in the proper stuff for an amazing flavour)

For the buttercream, I use the Hummingbird Bakery recipe:

500g icing sugar

160g unsalted butter

50ml semi-skimmed milk (original recipe uses whole milk)

1/2 cap of vanilla extract

You will also need 3-4 tsp seedless raspberry jam

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°c/375°F/Gas mark 5. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Combine the vanilla extract and the eggs and add a little at a time, beating well each time you add more. If the mixture starts to split, you can sift in a tiny amount of the flour but try to avoid it if you can!

2. When all the egg and vanilla has been combined with the butter and sugar, sift half of the flour into the bowl, fold in and then repeat with the rest of the flour.

3. Place half of the mixture in each tin and level with a knife (this is easier if you fill a mug with boiling water, leave the knife in for 30 seconds and then level the mixture).

4. Bake for about 20 minutes until the cakes are well risen, firm to touch and are beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tins. Turn out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

5. Whilst the cakes are cooling you can prepare the buttercream. Beat the icing sugar and butter together (either by hand or with an electric whisk for a smoother texture). Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and then add to the butter mixture a little at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

6. When the cakes are cool, choose which one will be the top layer and spread the jam over the bottom layer. Cover with the butter cream and then place the other cake on top. Put the kettle on for a cuppa and cut yourself a slice – enjoy![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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