Rock Cakes

I don’t follow recipes well, I use my eyes to see how stuff looks and if I feel it needs some more liquid or is too fluid I compensate.

Don’t be scared, worst that can happen is you lose a batch…

Ingredients

• 8 oz self rising flour
• 4 oz soft butter or margarine - I used olive spread because I had some around)
• 2 oz granulated sugar
• 4 0z mixed dried fruit (the mixed peel gives it a more tangy flavour, substitute for sultanas if you prefer)
• 2 oz raisins
• 1 medium egg
• 1 - 3 tbsp milk (if you are lactose intolerent use water instead, it doesn't change it much)
• Granulated sugar for sprinkling
• butter/spread for greasing the trays

Heat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6 Grease two baking sheets. Sieve (if you can be bothered) the flour into a mixing bowl add the softened butter or margarine (I tend to slice it into small bits with a knife first since I have very hot hands) lightly rub together with fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and the dried fruit and mix so all ingredients are well mixed. Add the egg and 1 tbsp of the milk (or water) and mix to create a stiff dough. If the mixture is still dry add milk a tbsp at a time until required consistency. Using a spoon divide the mixture into 8 mounds (original recipe says 12, but who likes tiny cakes?) evenly spaced on the 2 baking sheets. Bake in the oven for 15 mins or until golden brown. Sprinkle the sugar as soon as you remove them - it means that the sugar isn’t stuck to the baking sheet and a pain to clean.