Scotch pancakes with bramley apple

Serves 4

Scotch pancakes with bramley apple (Jason Lowe)

In Scotland they refer to what the English call drop scones, or Scotch pancakes, as dropped scones – and what's more they cook them on a girdle and not a griddle.

After one of my fishing and research trips to Scotland, I was sent a girdle as a gift, and it's basically a round cast-iron plate that sits directly on the stove with an arched steel handle which enables you to move it around while the scones are cooking. f

You can vary the fruit you serve with the dropped scones according to what's in season, and also make them as sweet as you wish by adjusting the sugar quantity.

I've served these with some saffron custard, but you could use crème fraîche or clotted cream.

For the compote

2 bramley apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
100g caster sugar

For the dropped scones

225g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
30g granulated sugar
1tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs, beaten
250-275ml milk
Butter for greasing and to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5. First make the compote. Put the apple and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan; cook for a few minutes on a medium heat, stirring every so often until the apple begins to soften.

Heat a griddle pan, or non-stick frying pan, and rub it with a little butter. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and let them cook for 3 minutes until bubbles rise, then turn them over with a palette knife or spatula and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Place them on kitchen paper while you are cooking the rest.

Serve warm with the compote spooned over and your choice of topping.