DROP SCONES WITH BLUEBERRY AND PANCETTA
Drop scones, flapjacks, or crumpets in South Africa, generally refer to the same thing. However, they mean different things around the world, so I will opt for the technical term and call them drop scones. Just about every household enjoys these ‘mini pancake-like door stoppers’ and remembers them from their childhood. I don’t have children of my own yet, but so many of my friends do. Their kids know I will never miss an opportunity to cook with them and they love the fun of it. These drop scones are quick, easy and instantly rewarding.
INGREDIENTS
100g pancetta or 250g streaky
bacon
BATTER
270g cake flour 10ml baking powder 1 pinch salt
30ml castor sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 eggs
15ml vanilla extract 300ml milk
80g unsalted butter, clarified
TO SERVE
unsalted butter maple syrup
100g blueberries, halved
250g creme fraîche
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
First make the batter. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, crack in the eggs, then add the vanilla and half of the milk. Whisk until thick and smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk. Let the batter stand for 10–15 minutes before using.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then add a teaspoon of the clarified butter and swirl it around to coat the base. Drop a dessertspoonful (±20ml) of the batter into the pan, roughly the size of a digestive biscuit. Repeat 3 or 4 times in the same pan. As soon as bubbles appear on the surface, flip the scones over and cook until puffed in the middle. Transfer them to a warm plate and cover with a clean dish cloth. Repeat the process until all the batter is used up.
Place the pancetta or bacon (see Tip below) on a baking tray lined with a silicon mat or greaseproof paper. Place in the oven and allow to crisp (5–8 minutes).
To serve, top each scone with a little butter, a drizzle of syrup, a few blueberries, crisp pancetta shards or bacon and a dollop of creme fraîche. Alternatively, create a stack of scones and serve as pictured.
Chef’s Tip
- If you like, add a little citrus zest or granadilla pulp to the creme fraiche to liven things up a bit more.
- If using streaky bacon, sandwich the rashers between two baking trays lined with a silicon mat or greaseproof paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove the top tray and lining, and bake until crispy.
Chef Tjaart Walraven
Tjaart Walraven is the exciting, fresh new face on the celebrity chef circuit, best known as a presenter on three seasons of the top rated “The Great South African Bake-off” on BBC Lifestyle. His deliciously fresh recipes are simple to follow and great for weekday family meals as well as for serving to a crowd.
Recipe courtesy of his latest book Summer Food, available here.