A holiday
in the UK can be fraught with dangers. You run the very real risk of reenacting
most of ‘Withnail and I’. The experience can find you pathetically complain that
you have gone on holiday by mistake to anyone who will listen and then drinking
so much of the local scrumpy that you insult the elderly population of wherever
you are staying. Luckily my holiday in Wales wasn’t like that, and while we had
one wash out afternoon, The Thew actually managed to gain the respect of the
local population by drinking the local scrumpy three days in a row and not
passing out. A strange bubble exists on holiday where 7.2% cider seems the
norm. The only strange moment I had was when checking into one place I was
greeted by a moving CCTV camera and disembodied voice in reception but after a
while an actual person showed up so that was ok.
Our last day
of holiday was spent with our friends in Abergavenny where we were treated to
glorious sunshine and amazing food. They have discovered a vineyard near them
so Saturday was devoted to watching their three sons playing in a stream while
we cooled our feet and drank local Welsh wine. I became quite adept at the
‘Rock Game’ which entailed me finding rocks in the stream and then passing them
to their youngest son who proceeded to hurl them down a mini waterfall. I think
that the aim to hit another rock without a big splash but to be honest I was
just happy that I was seen to be performing my role well.
Breakfast on
Sunday consisted of cinnamon scones which were fabulous. Leon is something of a
cook and he just knocked these up for us. Served hot smothered in butter is a
great way to start a Sunday and a highly recommend it to one and all. In the
tradition of all great recipes this one is written on a scrap of paper with the
ink slightly blurred where water has dripped on it and no cooking instructions.
Just that in itself should assure you of how great these are.
Ingredients
Scones
310g plain
flour
1 ½ tsp
baking powder
Pinch salt
250ml milk
30g butter,
melted
Filling/Topping
60-70g
melted butter
85g dark brown
sugar (keep the packet handy)
1 tbsp
ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed
spice
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/GM5 and line a baking
tray with baking paper (the butter and sugar go everywhere but we want to keep
it as they make crunchy bits you can snack once all the scones are gone).
2. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together
then add the butter and milk to make the dough. It will look very wet but start
with a wooden spoon and then use your hands. Turn out onto a floured surface
and knead to bring together. Add more flour as you knead if the dough is too
wet but the kneading should make it less so.
3. Roll the dough out into a rectangle. I had it
about 1cm thick in the end but is doesn’t matter if it’s uneven. Go for a size
just larger than A4 as a guide.
4. Brush all over generously with the melted butter.
Mix the sugar and spices together and scatter most of it over the dough. (I
used all of it and forgot to leave some for the topping so just used more brown
sugar, hence keeping the packet handy in case you do this too).
5. Roll the dough up bringing the long side towards
you and then slice into pieces. I got 15 out of mine but make sure they are
about 3-4cm wide. Place upright, so the swirly middle bit isn’t top and bottom,
brush with more butter and top with sugar/spice mix or just sugar.
6. Bake for 20 minutes (although I think 15 minutes could do it as my sugar started to melt which Leon's didn't) cool very slightly then
serve the Leon way.
N.B. These
are best served hot but if you save some then heat for 15 seconds on high in a
microwave.
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