Homemade pleasures

I'm home again this weekend, which means outings with friends and family and skype/phone chats with my family in the UK.  It also means lots of homemade everything.  This morning it was my mum's granola..

...topped with vanilla yogurt, mango and banana...

...followed by date scones with jam from Ottawa's Farmer's Market.

The scone recipe comes from The Rose Bakery, a place on my to-go-to list when I next go to Paris. (That may be a while!).  Recipes below - happy weekend, xo.

Granola 

2 cups large flake oats

2 cups crushed cereal (I use Natures Path synergy but you can use more oats or rye flakes)

1 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 cup whole almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds (I sometimes use 1/2 pumpkin seeds)

8 tablespoons sesame seeds 

2/3 cup cooking oil ( I use sunflower)

2/3 cup liquid honey 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins, dried cranberries etc (can use whatever you have, I don’t measure just put a handful of dried fruit on each pan)

Preheat oven to 300F(150C). Grease two large pans with non- stick spray.

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.

In glass microwaveable jug measure oil and honey.  Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Add vanilla.

Pour onto dry ingredients and mix well.

Cook for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add dried fruit. Mix with spatula so that mixture doesn’t stick to pan. When cold, store in sealed container.

Date Scones

These scones need to be served warm, just with lots of butter, and eaten slowly - if that's possible!

Makes 10 scones

250 g (1 2/3 cups) self-raising (self-rising) flour, half white and half wholemeal (wholewheat), plus extra for dusting

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mixed spice 

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

60 g (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

2 heaped tablespoons of light brown sugar

250 g (scant 1/2 cup) stoned, chopped dates

150 ml (2/3 cup) milk

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6 and grease a baking tray with butter.

Sift the flours into a bowl with the nutmeg or mixed spice, salt, and baking powder.

Add the butter and sugar and rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fresh breadcrumbs, then fold in the dates.

Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the milk.  Use a fork to work it into the dry ingredients.  Finish by hand but without overworking the mixture - just lightly bring everything together to form a softish but firm dough.  It must not be sticky, so start by adding three-quarters of the milk and see how that works.  Add more only if you need it.

On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll the dough into a solid shape about 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) thick.  Cut the dough into rounds or squares and place them on the greased baking tray so that they almost touch them.

Cut the dough into rounds or squares and place them on the greased baking tray so that they almost touch.

Glaze the tops with the egg and bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden.

The scones will stick together, so take them gently apart when they have cooled a little.

Serve warm.