If you are in need of a rainy-day activity to keep the kids occupied until school starts back, our book Easy Peasy by Mary Contini and Pru Irvine is filled with fun, healthy recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Check out our recipe of the week for Fruit Scones, which are easy to make and delicious to eat!

Fruit Scones from Easy Peasy: Real Cooking for Kids by Mary Contini and Pru Irvine

Scones are great because the quicker you make them, the lighter they are. The lighter they are, the faster you can eat them. This is one recipe where practice really does make perfect. So keep practising!

Ready . . .
225g of self-raising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
a pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons of sultanas
50g of soft butter
1 free-range egg
150ml of milk
a medium-sized bowl
a small bowl
weighing scales
a sieve
a 3cm cookie cutter – larger or smaller, if you want
a non-stick or lined baking tray

Steady . . .
• Turn on the oven to 220ºC/Gas mark 7.
• Get all your ingredients ready.

Go!
Sieve the flour into the medium sized bowl, then add the sugar, salt, sultanas and butter. Rub the mixture between your fingers as quickly and as lightly as you can to incorporate the flour.

In the small bowl, beat the egg with the milk and add to the flour mixture. Use a knife to mix it into a dough. It should only take 2–3 minutes (you may find using your hands easier, and you could also do it in a food processor – it’ll take just seconds).

Sprinkle some flour onto a clean work surface and your hands. Tip the dough out and lightly flatten it into a round, about 3cm deep.

Dip the cookie cutter into some flour, then press it into the dough mix. Tap the scone from the cutter onto your hand and then put it on the baking tray. Carry on until it’s all used up. You’ll need to gently re-roll some bits as you go. Dust the scones with a little flour or brush them with a little milk or some beaten egg.

Put them into the oven for 10–12 minutes until they’re risen and slightly golden on top.

Serve while still warm with jam, butter or clotted cream.

Psst!
• If you make smaller scones, then bake them a little less; for bigger scones, bake them a little more.
• If you want a plain scone, just leave out the sultanas. If you want a cheese scone, add a handful of grated cheddar into the mix and maybe a sprinkling on top.
• They’ll keep for a few days in an airtight container, but they freeze perfectly. Remember to warm them up in the oven after
defrosting.
• You can freeze these before you cook them as well, after you’ve cut them out. Just defrost them 10 minutes before you bake them.