CORNISH SPLITS
Jam Cream Tea and Thunder and Lightening
In bygone days a Cornish Cream Tea did NOT consist of Scones. Our Forebears used splits.
A soft milky bread, light as a feather and perfect with jam and clotted cream. As children we loved Thunder & Lightning - Golden Syrup and Clotted Cream, as seen on the right. These days Strawberry Jam is mostly used for Cream Teas but even our later forebears would have made jam with fruits that were on the hedgerows - like Blackberry! Strawberry would have been a real luxury.
For 20 splits: [they freeze like a dream]
1½ lb Strong Plain Flour [Bread Flour]
3 oz lard
1 level teaspoon salt
¾ pint milk [I used semi skimmed, but in olden days it would have been whole milk]
about 12 - 14 grams of Dried Active Yeast. That's 2 sachets. [or 1½ oz of fresh]
1 teaspoon sugar
Rub the fat into the flour and salt, until it has disappeared.
Meanwhile warm the milk to barely tepid with the sugar, and then whisk in the yeast. Allow to start working until frothy, then pour into the flour mix and bring together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and start to knead. This will take approx 8 - 10 mins until smooth and the dough jumps back after poking your finger in it. Or, like me with arthritic fingers, you can use a machine with a dough hook!! Cover with lightly oiled cling film, then leave and go off to do your shopping! When it is doubled in size [depends on the temperature of the room - these took just over an hour in my warm kitchen], tip back onto the surface and knead again to knock out the air. Divide into 20. - just over 2 oz each. I use a digital flat scale with a plate on top to weigh. Shape into splits and place on lightly oiled baking sheet. Put to rise again for about 30 mins. Bake in a hot fan oven - 190 deg C for about 15 mins. Cool on a rack then enjoy!!!
In Cornwall, the jam or treacle [as we call Golden Syrup] goes on the bottom and the clotted cream on top! Over The Tamar they might do it differently!!!
For more photos and details of baking go to my Blog.
Hello my bird. I've just been reading your recipes. Absolutely lovely. I live in Australia now but I'm originally from Cornwall.i miss our beautiful dishes. Thanks for sharing. I'd forgotten all about Thunder and lightning.
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