Spiced Apple Damper

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 quantity Basic scone ingredients (see related recipe)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 2 small Pink Lady apples, grated
• 1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
• cream cheese and maple syrup, to serve

Method

1. Follow step 1 of Basic scone recipe. Stir in brown sugar and mixed spice. Follow step 2 of Basic scone recipe. Stir in apple.
2. Follow step 3 of Basic scone recipe.
3. Shape dough into a 19cm (diameter) round. Brush with eggwhite. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Mark a large cross in centre. Place onto prepared tray. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Stand on tray for 5 minutes.
4. Serve with cream cheese and syrup.

Basic Scones

Ingredients

• plain flour, for dusting
• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 80g butter, cubed
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
• jam and whipped cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly dust a flat baking tray with plain flour. Sift self-raising flour into a large bowl.
2. Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the centre. Add 1 cup of milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until mixture forms a soft dough, adding more milk if required. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth (don't knead dough too much or scones will be tough).
4. Pat dough into a 2cm-thick round. Using a 5cm (diameter) round cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Press dough together and cut out remaining 4 rounds. Place scones onto prepared baking tray, 1cm apart. Sprinkle tops with a little plain flour. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and well risen. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with jam and cream.