Apple Scone Round

Weekends are to celebrate! After a long week of work, having fun in the kitchen, trying a new recipe is a good way of sharing love with your family.
This recipe came out without planning. I opened the cupboards and the fridge and let my imagination flow. The requirements were: to cook something warm, healthy and sweet. I looked at the ingredients I had in the cupboard, likely I had flour, bicardonate of soda, sugar, apples, cinnamon, milk and a tiny amount of butter. I had all the ingredients to bake an Apple Scone Round! It took me about 20minute to prepare it and another 15min in the oven. I prepared a cup of coffee and after taking all the pictures to share with you, I enjoyed a delicious slice (or two) of this amazing scone.
I'm an apple dessert fan! My favourites are apple pie, apple cake and this one is now part of my list.

Diet advice: Desserts containing fruit, also counts towards your 5-a-day. However be mindful of the quantity of sugar and fat added to these desserts. Some desserts with fruit might be unhealthy, specially those bought in due to the high contents of fat and added sugars. However if you make your own, where you can control the quantity of sugar and fat addded, these sweet treats can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. Desserts with added fruit allows to reduce the quantity of sugar adedd into the recipe. The natural sugar of the fruit gives the sweet taste you are looking for on a dessert.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 225g self-raising flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 60g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 60g demarara sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 large Bramley cooking apple (weighting about 250-275g)
• 150ml milk
• a baking tray with baking paper

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Sift the flour, add the bicarnonate of soda, cinnamon, salt and butter. bring altogether using the tips of your fingers. (Lifting your hands up to the rim of the bowl so that flour falls back down will give the scone a lighter texture). When the mixture resembles fine crumbs, stir in the sugar.
3. Peel, core and dice the apple and add to the bowl.
4. Add 125ml of the milk and mix in using a round-bladed knife, gradually working in more milk, a teaspoon at a time, to make soft but not sticky dough (how much milk is needed will depend upon the juiciness of the apple).
5. Using floured hands, lightly shape the dough into a ball and place on the prepared baking tray
6. Gently pat out to a round 20cm across. Brush with any remaining milk, then sprinkle with demarara sugar. Using a sharp knife, score the round into 8 wedges but not pull them apart or move them.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Leave to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and eat warm.