Sussex Plum Heavies
Dense, golden Sussex scone-cakes packed with sweet currants and rich pastry fat. These historic regional treats offer a hearty, crumbly, lightly spiced bite.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Rolling pin
- •7cm round pastry cutter
- •Baking tray
- •Greaseproof paper
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 4 g
- calories
- 310 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your fan oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- 2
Sift the plain flour, salt, and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl.
- 3
Add the diced butter and lard to the bowl.
- 4
Rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 5
Stir in the caster sugar, currants, and sultanas until evenly distributed.
- 6
Pour in the milk and mix with a round-bladed knife until a firm dough begins to form.
- 7
Gather the dough gently with your hands into a smooth ball without overworking it.
- 8
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured worktop to a thickness of 1.5cm.
- 9
Cut out rounds using a floured 7cm cutter and transfer them onto the lined baking tray.
- 10
Prick the top of each round several times with a fork to stop uneven rising.
- 11
Brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
- 12
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown, then cool on a wire rack.
Chef's tips
Do not add baking powder; these cakes are deliberately dense and flat unlike standard high-rising scones. Keep the lard and butter cold so the fat rubs into distinct flaky crumbs.
Ingredient substitutions
- lard → vegetable suet or extra chilled butter
- currants → raisins or chopped sultanas
Storage
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to four days.
Reheating
Warm in a preheated fan oven at 160°C for 5 minutes before serving.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overworking the dough, which turns the crumb tough rather than tenderly short.
- •Adding leavening agents like baking powder, which changes them into modern fluffy scones.
- •Rolling the dough too thin, which causes the edges to dry out quickly in the oven.
Serving suggestions
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