Thursday 1 March 2012
Today is our second "day date" =) We don't often have time for just the two us, thank goodness we have 3 days off this week! That's one of the downside of living away from relatives, we don't have anyone who could look after Poj if we go out at night. I know that the last time we went out for a proper date was when Poj was 1 year old - that was when we went home to the Philippines.
It was a beautiful day, it was sunny and not too cold. We decided to head to the New Forest. We had a relaxing day, we did a lot of walking and people watching. And just before we went back to Southampton, we stopped at a tea house and enjoyed a Cream Tea (tea taken with scones, clotted cream & strawberry jam. The tea was lovely and the scones were warm & massive! It was beautifully baked but was much too big.
A scone is a small British quick bread. And here's a recipe for the Classic Scones if anyone wants to give it a go.
Ingredients
350g self raising flour, plus more for dusting
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
85g butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp caster sugar
175ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
squeezed lemon juice
beaten egg, to glaze
jam and clotted cream to serve
Method
- Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
- Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
- Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
- Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. By this point you'll probably need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
- Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/fan140C/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh.
