Keep the home front baking: Warm treacle scones 

MAKES 8

400g plain flour

1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon

1 rounded tsp mixed spice

2 heaped tsp baking powder

50g golden caster sugar plus extra for dusting

pinch of salt

100g salted butter chilled and diced

120g treacle

125ml whole milk

★ Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Have ready a 7cm fluted or plain cutter and a nonstick baking sheet. Sift the flour, spices and baking powder into the bowl of a food processor and add the sugar and salt. Add the butter and whiz to crumbs. Combine the treacle and milk in a medium bowl and stir to loosely combine until the treacle thins and turns runny, then add this through the funnel with the motor running and whiz to a soft, sticky dough.

★ On the work surface, lay out a large sheet of clingfilm (about 60cm long). Place the dough on one half of the clingfilm and fold the other half over the top. Gently roll out the dough between the clingfilm until it’s about 2cm thick. Remove the clingfilm and cut out scones using the cutter, bringing the cuttings together and re-rolling once as necessary (you should get 8 scones in total). Arrange the scones on the baking sheet and scatter a little caster sugar over each one. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until risen, crusty and cracked, a bit like soda bread.

SERVING IDEA These are most delicious eaten warm, slit and spread with clotted cream and some golden syrup oozing out the sides. They also keep well until the following day stored in an airtight container.