Cherry Rock Buns
Rock buns are a great British favourite, easy for children to make and very economical, too. Eat these melt-in-the-mouth cherry-filled cakes warm from the oven, sliced and spread with a little butter
Makes: 16 buns
Ingredients
250g Waitrose Superfine Self Raising Flour
2 tsp baking powder
125g unsalted butter, slightly softened
50g light brown soft sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling
100g pack Waitrose Provençal Cherries, quartered
50g currants
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line 2-3 baking sheets with baking parchment or lightly grease with a little extra butter. Place the flour, baking powder and butter in a mixing bowl and roughly chop the butter with a round-bladed knife. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, cherries, currants, beaten egg and milk, then use the knife to bring the ingredients together to form a stiff dough. If the mixture is very dry, add a little more milk.
- Using a teaspoon, dollop heaps of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets to make 16 buns, spaced well apart. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the tops of the cakes and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until lightly golden brown all over. Cool on a wire rack.
Cook's tips
These buns are best eaten on the day they are made.
Variation
Try substituting other dried fruits, such as cranberries, dates or dried apricots.