by Lydia Thornley posted Sat 17th Sep '11

Ingredients

• Butter, 4oz
• Salt, pinch
• Soft brown sugar, 4oz
• Eggs, 1, made up to 1/4 pint with milk
• Curranta, 4oz
• Self-raising flour, 8oz
• Mixed spice, generous pinch
• Cinnamon, generous pinch

Method

Heat oven to 180C. Grease two baking sheets with butter.

Put the butter, flour, salt and spices into a mixing bowl; rub in until you have a breadcrumb-like texture.

Add in the currants. Beat the eggs together, add and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Spoon onto the baking sheets: a soup spoon is about right and I get the mixture off with a teaspoon.

Bake for about 15 mins until golden; if you have a fan-assisted oven, check after 12.

Lift from the trays with a spatula and cool on a rack.

Background

This ia a recipe handed down from my mum. It was an outdoor snack when I was a kid: I'd take one over to my dad's workshop in the barn and we'd sit outside on the tree trunk that served as a bench, contemplating nature and discussing life, the universe and everything...

Marvellously, it's become the same sort of institution at Abbey Gardens: a gardening snack, to have in our tea break. Occasionally, I try to bring something else - but it's rock buns that are required. So in case I get run over by a bus, here, dear readers, is the recipe!