Photos by Yvonne Wancke
September 22nd is International Hobbit Day. Who knew? The date was chosen as it is the joint birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, characters from Tolkein’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I thought that I would mark the day by sharing a recipe, one that would go down well with Hobbits. You may know that Hobbits have six (or possibly seven if you include ‘second breakfasts’) a day. My recipe for buttermilk scones might work nicely for their afternoon tea.
Ingredients
300g self-raising flour
200ml buttermilk
70g butter
Pinch of salt
60g sugar
Tsp vanilla extract
A little extra milk if needed
Sultanas if required
Method
Tip the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter till it looks like breadcrumbs
Add the sugar and a pinch of salt
Add the buttermilk and vanilla (plus a little milk if needed)
Knead – it should be quite soft and it’s what makes these scones so nice. If too soft to roll then add a little more flour. If too dry then add a dash of milk
Add sultanas if required
Roll out on floured board and cut into rounds
Bake at 180 degrees for 15- 20 mins
Enjoy with a cup of tea and remember:
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” (The Hobbit, JR Tolkein)
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- A simple sourdough loaf
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