Coronation – A Different Kitchen

Today I’m featuring a recipe that is, quite literally, fit for a King!

Across the UK this weekend, people will be watching history in the making, as our new King and Queen are crowned at Westminster Abbey, in London.

On Saturday, the procession route will be lined with Union Jack waving wellwishers, and those that can’t be there are able to watch the whole proceedings live on free to air TV. With all the pageantry on show, events are guaranteed to be quite some spectacle.

Sunday is the day for street parties in local communities, finishing with a major concert at Windsor Castle, also live on TV.

On Monday, we are being given a day’s national holiday so that we can recover from all this partying and excitement. Hey, we haven’t had one of these for 70 years, when most of us (me included) weren’t even alive. Coronations only come around once every few generations, so there’s no surprise it’s getting this much special attention.

Here’s what I’m making for our own local street party – a Coronation take on a Brit classic – the scone with jam and clotted cream. Served with a pot of tea, of course.

Happy and Glorious!

Servings

Makes 8 scones.

Timings

15 mins to prepare, 15 – 20 mins to bake at 180C.

You Will Need

450g self-raising flour
115g soft margarine or spread
85g caster sugar
85g sultanas
1 egg, beaten
200ml milk
strawberry jam and clotted cream to serve
Union Jack flag to wave (optional)

Method

Put the flour and margarine into a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and sultanas.
Mix in the egg, and gradually add in 150ml of the milk to make a soft dough.
Turn it on to a floured surface and knead slightly. Roll out to a 2cm thickness.
Stamp out circles with a 7cm diameter fluted biscuit cutter, and transfer to a baking sheet covered in a layer of baking paper. Reroll the dough as necessary till you have 8 shapes cut.
Brush the tops with the remaining milk and bake for 15 – 20 mins at 180C.
Serve warm or cold, split and topped with the jam and clotted cream.
Wave a little Union Jack flag as you eat!

Customise It!

If you’re watching your cholesterol, you can replace the clotted cream with low fat spread. Other fruit jams, like raspberry or cherry, will work just as well if you prefer.

What better time than the Coronation to add some joyous Britpop to the ADK Playlist. I am sure Charles and Camilla would approve. Here’s Blur with Parklife.

By Royal Appointment?

I must share with you, dear readers, an amazing letter I’ve received in the post this morning.

My excitement rose when I saw the postmark bearing the words Buckingham Palace. It turns out to be a handwritten letter from none other than the Queen Consort, probably still better known to most as Camilla (of Parker-Bowles fame). It goes like this:

Hi Kevin,

Hope you’re keeping well, mate. As you’re probably aware, we have a bit of a do coming up next month, with the Coronation. There’s lots still to organise, including the Afternoon Tea for all the family after the main service – I like to think of it as a bit of a knees-up.

Anyways, the Boss himself has put me in charge of sorting out the nosh. I love following A Different Kitchen, and wondered if I could ask you to bake us a few cakes?

A Dundee Fruit Cake would go down well with the Balmoral set, and you can’t go wrong with choco brownies as far as all the kids are concerned lol. Numbers aren’t final yet – we still don’t know if Harry and the missus will be attending.

Let me know what you can do for us. Keep up the good work, and why not post a few more tracks from the Arctic Monkeys – I’m a big fan.

Cheers,
Camilla

Goodness me! I need your help here, readers. This is my biggest gig since I started the blog, so do please let me have your thoughts by way of comments below, on what I should offer to bake.

In the meantime, here’s a classic track from The Who for the ADK Playlist – Won’t Get Fooled Again.