Mary Berry's Quick Cooking: Scone fruit crown

Mary Berry’s Quick Cooking: Scone fruit crown

By Mary Berry

Published: 00:02 GMT, 17 February 2019 | Updated: 00:02 GMT, 17 February 2019

Making mini scones and gathering them together in a crown shape is a quick and impressive way to serve large numbers for a picnic or other gathering.

MAKES 1 x 18-SCONE CROWN

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 10-12 MINUTES

1 egg

about 110ml (3½fl oz) milk

225g (8oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

1 heaped tsp baking powder

40g (1½oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

25g (1oz) caster sugar

25g (1oz) sultanas

25g (1oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped into tiny pieces (see note)

TO DECORATE

2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed

1-2 tbsp nibbed sugar

You will need a 23cm (9in) round sandwich tin and a 4cm (1½in) plain round pastry cutter. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and grease the tin.
Break the egg into a measuring jug, then beat with a fork and pour in enough of the milk to make 150ml (5fl oz) of liquid.
Measure the flour, baking powder and butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and, using a fork, stir in enough of the beaten egg mixture to make a sticky dough (reserve any leftover for brushing). Finally, stir in the dried fruits.
Tip on to a floured work surface and gently knead until combined. Don’t overwork the mixture or the finished scones will be tough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough to about 2.5cm (1in) thick. Cut out 18 mini scones with the pastry cutter, re-rolling the dough as needed (see note), and arrange them in the tin so they are touching each other in a crown shape. Brush the tops with the remaining egg mixture from the jug.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden.
Brush with a little apricot jam to glaze and sprinkle with nibbed sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little, then serve with jam and clotted cream.

COOK’S NOTES

Use scissors to snip the apricots into pieces quickly.
Dip your cutter in flour if you find it is getting sticky. (Try not to twist the cutter or the scones will rise unevenly.) Shape any extra dough into another scone and cook alongside the crown – cook’s perks!

PREPARE AHEAD

The scone crown is best made and eaten on the same day – served warm, ideally – but it can be made a day ahead. Store in an airtight container.

FREEZE

Freezes well for up to a month.