Jaffa Rock Cakes

January is the time of year for making marmalade, as all the grocery stop shelves fill up with affordable Spanish oranges. I think Marmalade is one of Todd's favourite things to have on his toast. I like it too, with it's bittersweet tang and all those lovely chewy bits of rind peppered throughout . . .



I have yet to make my own, but it's not all that hard. One year I will make some for sure, but in the meantime I enjoy good quality storebought and yes . . . there are some very good ones out there. If you do feel so inclined to make your own, you will find a very good recipe here. Seville oranges make the best marmalade, by the way. One can just imagine how lovely the house smells when it's cooking . . .



I found a recipe in the latest Country Kitchen Magazine for some tasty marmalade rock cakes. I like Country Kitchen Magazine. It's filled with lots of lovely traditional recipes and British food folklore.



I have made plain rockcakes before. You can find that recipe here. Remember, they are Harry Potter's favourite teatime treats! They were rather yummy and I really enjoyed them.



This recipe using the marmalade looked quite delicious as well, but once again . . . I could not leave well enough alone! I used all butter, and added milk chocolate chips instead of sultanas, and . . . why not????



Orange and chocolate are a quintessentially beautifully flavourful combination, moreish even.



And these definitely were . . . moreish, that is!!! If Harry were here, I'm quite sure he'd heartily approve!



*Jaffa Rock Cakes*
makes about 12
Printable Recipe

Quick, easy and melt in the mouth, and stogged full of tangy bits of seville marmalade and sweet milk chocolate chips.

4 ounces butter (1/2 cup)
8 ounces of self raising flour (scant 2 cups)
4 ounces caster sugar (a generous 1/2 cup)
2 1/4 ounces of milk chocolate chips
1 heaped dessertspoon of seville marmalade
1 large free range egg, beaten
milk

Preheat the oven to 190*C/ 375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter the paper.
Set aside.

Measure the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into bits and drop it into the bowl with the flour. Rub it in with your fngertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, and then stir in the marmalade and chocolate chips. Stir in the beaten egg along with some milk to make a stiff paste, of a good dropping consistency. You won't need much milk at all.

Drop by heaped dessertspoons onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a good space between each. Bake for 10 minutes or so until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool before eating.

From Wikepedia:

A rock cake is a small cookie or a fruit cake with a rough surface, resembling a rock.

Rock cakes seem to have originated in Great Britain but are now popular in many parts of the world. Being easy to make, they are also suited for children cooking. They are consumed as cookies or tea treats.