Rock Buns
It was actually one of my lovely Twitter followers who’d requested this recipe, and of course, Granny had her go-to Rock Bun recipe right on cue! I’m pretty sure prior to this, the last time I made Rock Buns was in my High School Home Economics class, and I’m pretty sure they were more rock than they were bun.
Given my sketchy history with baking Rock Buns, I was unsure of my actual opinion of them. Surely they shouldn’t actually break your teeth, like the H.E. Rock Bun disaster of 2001? I mean, sure, they’re called Rock Buns, but why would anyone choose to eat something so tough? Turns out those ‘Rock Buns’ (inverted commas as I think it’s a stretch to actually call them so) were burnt well overdone and probably not the best recipe, like most recipes our school produced.
Turns out, I love Rock Buns! It wasn’t until Granny compared them to scones that I thought there was a chance they were something I could get on board with.
So if you love crumbly little cakes, loaded with flavour and dried fruit, then give Rock Buns a chance – you won’t be disappointed with this recipe! (As long as you don’t burn them and end up with literal H.E.-esque rocks). And take it from me, you’ll love them most of all when they’re still a little warm and fresh from the oven.
I most certainly did not eat 3 in one sitting…
Ingredients for Rock Buns:
Self-raising Flour
As opposed to using plain flour, self-raising flour is what gives these little buns a bit of lift. Without that, they would definitely be more rock-like.
Butter or Margarine
Either will do, and it’s personal preference which you choose. I opt for margarine as a way to omit the dair,y but whatever you choose, just be sure it’s at room temperature before baking.
And if using margarine. Just be sure to use a block of margarine, as opposed to the spreadable kind. The latter will make your Rock Buns dough too soft.
Caster Sugar
All buns need a bit of sweetness, and Rock Buns are no exception!
Free-range Egg
Egg works as the binder in this recipe. I don’t tend to stress to much about the size of eggs in buns, as long as they’re free-range.
Milk
In this recipe, milk is needed to add moisture to the buns and help create the dough. You may not need all the milk listed, so be sure to add it gradually.
Orange Extract
Not essential, but certainly adds to the beauty of these wee buns. I find orange extract to be the best, but you can mix it up with some lemon or vanilla extract too.
Dried Mixed Fruit
Either from a ready-bagged mix, or create your own with what dried fruit you have, or your favourites.
Top Tips for Traditional Tiffin:
• This recipe uses dried mixed fruit, but if you can’t get your hands on a combination bag, simply use a mixture of sultanas, currants and mixed peel to the quantities of your preference.
• Orange extract gives the best flavour results and nicely complements the peel in the mixed dried fruit; however, you can easily substitute it for lemon or vanilla extract should you wish.
Rock Buns
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g Self-raising Flour
- 65 g Butter or Margarine
- 70 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Free-range Egg
- 2-3 tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Orange Extract
- 100 g Mixed Dried Fruit
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 190° (or 170°c for a fan assisted oven or Gas Mark 5) and grease a couple of baking sheets. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour. Add the butter and rub together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the sugar and egg to the mixture. Add the milk a spoonful at a time, mixing together to create a thick, sticky dough – you may not need all the milk.
- Add the orange extract and the mixed dried fruit. Mix until the dried fruit is evenly dispersed through the dough.
- Place a tablespoon sized amount of dough onto your pre-greased baking sheets. Repeat with the rest of the dough, leaving space between each ball. Don’t be concerned with making them neat – the rougher the balls are, the more rock-like your buns will appear.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for around 15 minutes until they have a nice golden colour.
- Allow to cool a little on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Although rock buns are best enjoyed when still a little warm from the oven!
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
