By tradition, these teatime treats are cooked on a griddle over an open fire, but a heavy frying pan will do the job. Serve them warm with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of sugar.
Serves: Makes 10–12
Time to prepare: 15 mins
Time to cook: 20 mins
Dietary requirements: Halal, Kosher, Vegan (with substitutions)
Ingredients
225g/8oz plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp mixed spice
100g/4oz butter
75g/3oz caster sugar
50g/2oz currants
A pinch salt
1 egg or egg replacement (vegan option)
A little milk to bind
Instructions
Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice together into a large bowl.
Rub in the butter.
Stir in the sugar, currants and salt.
Beat the egg and add to the mixture, mixing well to form a dough – add a splash of milk if it seems too dry.
Roll the dough out to about the thickness of a biscuit and use a pastry cutter to cut out rounds.
Cook the cakes on a greased bakestone or griddle, or in a heavy-based frying pan, until golden. Take care to keep the heat moderate: if you cook them too fast they may appear done on the outside but not be cooked in the middle.