Betsy’s drop scones with rhubarb and raspberry ripple cream

Drop scones are not as unfamiliar as you think. They're also called pikelets and their petit size means eating a high stack is far more achievable than with its pancake cousins.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 225 g (1 ½ cups) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 185 ml (¾ cup) milk
• Olive oil and butter, for frying
• 200 ml thickened cream
• rhubarb and raspberry jam, to serve

Instructions

1. Cut the orange in half, then thinly slice one half into rounds and set aside. Finely grate the zest of the other half, then squeeze the juice.

2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place the egg and milk in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Gradually add the egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to form a smooth batter. The batter should be the same consistency as double cream - you may need to add a little more milk if the batter is too thick.

3. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a little oil and a small knob of butter to the pan and once sizzling, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, allowing enough room for the drop scones to spread. Once bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip the drop scones and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.

4. Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk the cream with a splash of orange juice until thickened.

To serve, layer the drop scones with a little rhubarb and raspberry jam and orange cream until you achieve a stack of 3-4 high. Top with a little extra jam and cream. Cut a small incision in the orange slices and twist, then serve with the drop scones.

Ainsley Harriott explores Australia's best regional produce markets in the brand-new season of Ainsley's Australian Market Menu on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.