Cobnut cake

To roast cobnuts, shell them and place them in an oven at 150°C/Gas Mark 2 for up to an hour, depending on their size and freshness, until they are hard and browned. About 100g (4 oz) nuts in their shells will produce 40g (1½ oz) of roasted kernels, but be generous:- they are so delicious some may never reach the dish.

INGREDIENTS

225g self-raising flour

1 rounded teaspoon of ginger

110g butter (at room temperature)

110g brown sugar

50g Kentish cobnuts, roasted and chopped

1 large egg, beaten

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease a baking tin of approx. 9" by 4" (or you could use a standard loaf tin).

3. Sift flour into a bowl with the ginger.

4. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

5. Add the sugar and the nut and mix well.

6. Stir in the beaten egg. The mixture will remain fairly dry and crumbly.

7. Put the mixture into the prepared tin and pat down gently with a fork.

8. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the cake is cooked when tested with a skewer.