At the weekend we were invited up to Dunwich Heath National trust, who were having a sconeathon. I’d no idea what a sconeathon is, but it sounded like a good idea ๐
Dunwich Heath is just up the coast from us, and not a National Trust property we’d visited before. Then again, we haven’t done nearly as many outings over the last couple of years as I like to. Can’t think why. With the sudden weather change I couldn’t resist a day out, although with hindsight I should have insisted on slightly heavier outerwear for the older members of the group. The sun was warm, but the site is on a clifftop, with the winds you’d anticipate.
The bright spring day had certainly brought out visitors in strength, although I don’t think many were aware of the sconeathon. They were in for a treat.
The cafe usually serves a variety of cakes as well as soups and sandwiches. On Saturday they had 19 different scones on display, including a couple of gluten free recipes. There were sweet and savoury, with pots of cream and jam or chutney or cream. We tried a selection, including my personal favourite, Stilton and Ale.
I didn’t even get to try the malteser one I split between the two youngest – they devoured it. Big enjoyed a cheese and chive one, and we all shared the nutella and pistachio, which grew on me. (Was a funny colour for a scone though!)
I got to have a brief chat with Rob, who is the catering manager and the brains behind the sconeathon. I get the impression scones are big in his life ๐ There’s a scone club, and he does a scone of the day, alongside the other offerings, but this was a special event to try out some new flavours and see which ones to add to his regular repertoire. I did suggest he got on instagram, as I suggest scone of the day would play *very* well there. Lack of internet signal did make sharing our pictures immediately rather difficult.
Once we’d enjoyed our scones, we went outside to the little play area. The smaller children played as if it was midsummer, and Big mainly shivered.
The site is based around coastguard cottages and a lookout where people watched for smugglers according to the varioius signs. I wanted to look at the children’s nature trails and so on, but I think we’ll have to go another time for that – I couldn’t get small people out of the play area to do anything else.
We did go inside to the lookout area and use the telescope and binoculars for a while. That room also doubles as an overspill for the cafe, so you can take your cakes or scones and cuppas up there if you’d like a break from the wind. I was surprised by the number of people enjoying their snacks outside, but maybe if I’d had a thicker coat I’d have felt better about it.
Once home, we enjoyed the goodie bag Rob thoughtfully supplied of four extra scones.
Clockwise from top left, those are bacon and maple, banana and maple, apple and cinnamon and raspberry and white chocolate. Difficult to choose a favourite from those, although I think it would probably end up being bacon and maple if I took a poll. I was surprised that the raspberry and white choc wasn’t more popular, but maybe it paled beside maltesers ๐
And then this week I’ve kept on thinking about Stilton and Ale scones. So I decided to have a go at making my own version. Handily I had some stilton in the fridge, so I only needed to pick up some ale. Such a hardship.
My recipe as follows.
450g self raising flour. (Not flower, as I originally typed.)
110g butter.
pinch salt.
60g stilton.
8fl oz ale of choice (green king IPA for me).
2fl oz milk.
Flour in a bowl, cube the butter into it, add salt. Rub together until it makes breadcrumby type mixture. Grate or finely chop the stilton and mix through the flour mixture. Add ale and milk, stir in until it makes a dough. You may want to go steady with the beer – I ended up adding a bit of extra flour as it seemed quite a sticky mixture.
Knead a little until thoroughly mixed, then roll out to about 2 cm thick, and cut out. I ended up with 19 scones from this mixture. Brush tops with a little milk if you wish.
Bake in pre heated oven at 220 Centigrade (probably lower for a fan oven, I don’t have one, so can’t say.) Take approx 12- 15 minutes to bake.
Allow to cool a little, devour with butter and a little home made chutney.
Not bad eh?
Linking up to Country kids and recipe of the week ๐
Disclosure – we were invited to Dunwich Heath and supplied with free scones. They were a bit fabulous, and I’m going to talk about them lots.
Marissa@mamaknowsbest2 says
Oh my goodness malteser scones!! I’m currently on a diet but now craving one of those delicious scones! They look yummy! #country kids
Jax Blunt says
thanks. Maltesers were a popular choice, but these ones are incredibly moreish too.
Coombemill says
Now those scones look simply delicious and I do love stilton in anything! Sounds like the children were taken with the play area and I can see from the flying tuft of hair that is was windy up there. Hope you get to return and do the nature trail too.
Jax Blunt says
It was a bit on the windy side, but great fun. Hoping we’ll manage to explore it more thoroughly another time – thanks for popping by.
Ninja at says
We need to see more of this xx cooking x
Brilliant post
Jax Blunt says
Thanks, it was surprisingly enjoyable to do ๐
Midlife Singlemum says
Yum!
Jax Blunt says
Very. They’re a bit addictive in fact ๐
sarah hill wheeler (@hill_wheeler) says
Dropping in from #RecipeoftheWeek. The words “stilton” and “ale” in the same sentence got my attention! I’m no a savoury roll at the moment and have added these to my wish list. Bet they would taste great with some homemade tomato soup!
Jax Blunt says
Ooh, yes, I can see them working really well with soup.
Yet Another Blogging Mummy!!! says
I made cheese scones today but just standard ones. Your recipe sounds fab and love the sound of the sconeathon. Hopping over via #Recipeoftheweek
Jax Blunt says
The sconeathon has really inspired me to try out some new recipes – I’m looking at scones in a whole new way. Thanks for popping by.
Carolynne @ Mummy Endeavours says
Aww looks like a lovely day out! Always feel good after we get out for the day don’t we? Those scones looks delicious and I like your very unusual recipe, my Mum used to make cheese scones all the time when we were kids and I loved them. Unfortunately she isn’t here any more and I haven’t made any myself ๐ xx
Jax Blunt says
I think I might try and lead a scone revival.
Make some scones in memory of your mum and enjoy them with a cuppa? Hugs.
NinnyNoodleNoo says
Stilton and ale scones sound amazing! Sadly not gluten-free, though (could use gluten-free flour, but ale?) I’d want to have a try of the bacon and maple ones too.
Jo Middleton says
all those scones are making me hungry, the flavours sound amazing!
Emily @amummytoo says
Just popped by to say once again how flippin amazing these look. Just wow. Thanks so much for linking up with #recipeoftheweek. I’ve pinned and tweeted this post and hope to see you linking up again soon! ๐ x
Looking for Blue Sky says
I will definitely be making these as I often have left over Stilton!
Jax Blunt says
They’re ever so nice. Think they’re my favorite way of using up Stilton, although broccoli and Stilton soup comes a close second.