IF you want to treat your special someone to something sweet, and just a little bit fruity this Valentine’s Day,

Haskins Garden Centre in Ferndown has created a delicious cherry scone recipe.

Scones should be served warm-from-the-oven, with clotted cream and cherry or strawberry jam.

Ingredients

450g self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g cold butter, diced

2 tbsp caster sugar

284ml buttermilk

2 tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

100g glacé cherry, chopped

clotted cream and cherry or strawberry jam, to serve

Method

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Combine the flour, ½ tsp salt, bicarbonate of soda and butter in a bowl and rub in with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar.

Quickly mix in the buttermilk, a splash of milk, vanilla and chopped cherries and bring together to form a soft dough. Press out onto a lightly floured surface, to about 3cm thick. Cut out with heart-shaped cutters. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet, brush with the remaining milk and bake for 12-15 mins until golden and well risen. Serve with clotted cream and jam.

Competition

Haskins Garden Centres is offering one lucky couple the chance to win afternoon tea for two (worth £15.95). Available to enjoy at the Ferndown centre, the prize includes a pot of tea for two with a selection of finger sandwiches, homemade cakes and scones.

How To Enter:

To be in with a chance of winning this prize, please answer the following question.

How long has Haskins been helping gardens to bloom? To find out visit haskins.co.uk

By Post: Send your entry on the back of a postcard along with your name, address, e-mail and contact number to Haskins Competition, Daily Echo, Fleet House Hampshire Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9XD before the closing date of Monday February 29 2016

An afternoon tea booking must be made at Haskins Ferndown and must be claimed by Thursday 31 March 2016.

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