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Jul 16, 2018

Singing Hinnies {Griddle Scones from Northern England}

Singing Hinnies are a traditional griddle cake from Northumberland in northern England. They are typically made with flour, butter, lard, salt, baking powder, milk, and dried currants.

Singing Hinnies - Griddle Scones from Northern England

How did Singing Hinnies get their name? 

Hinnie is supposed to be a term of endearment (like "honey") in the dialect of the region, and "singing" is supposed to represent the sound they make as they are cooking on the griddle.

Did I hear any singing when I made these? 

Not exactly. I cooked these over a very low flame to ensure that they are cooked through before they turned too brown, so they didn't have much of chance to sizzle or sing.

Singing Hinnies taste to me like a cross between scones and American biscuits. They are very easy to make and are delicious straight from the griddle and slathered in salted butter. I know this because I personally tested one to make sure they were good enough to serve (someone had to make the sacrifice).

The dough does not have any sugar, and, as I mentioned, the flavor reminds me of flaky biscuits, but a little softer. The dried fruit adds just the right amount of sweetness.

This recipe makes eight griddle cakes. Leftovers can easily be frozen and reheated.

Instead of the currants, I used dried blueberries, my new favorite dried fruit ever since I tried them in this Oatmeal Blueberry Bread and this Pain au Levain. Hopefully the Northumberland food police won't come after me for messing with their traditional Singing Hinnies. The blueberries were wonderful in these.

Singing Hinnies

The Bread Baking Babes are making Singing Hinnies this month, from a recipe chosen by Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms. She thoughtfully chose this recipe so we would not have to turn on our ovens in the July heat. Her rules were: "that they are scone-like and contain a fruit like currants or raisins and that they are cooked by griddling."

scones, hinnies
breakfast, scones, tea
British
Yield: 8 servings

Singing Hinnies Recipe

prep time: 10 minscook time: 18 minstotal time: 28 mins

ingredients


  • 225 grams (8 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 100 grams (4 ounces) cold butter (or half butter, half lard), cut into cubes
  • 50 grams (2 ounces) dried currants (I used dried blueberries)
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons milk or buttermilk

instructions


  1. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine all of the ingredients. 
  2. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture, and pulse until the mixture is crumbly (alternatively, you can cut the butter into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter). 
  3. Remove the mixture to a bowl and toss in the dried fruit. Add in the milk and mix by hand until you have a firm dough. 
  4. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch wide, and cut with a 3 inch round biscuit cutter. You can also make 2 larger rounds and cut them into 4 wedges. 
  5. Heat a griddle or large cast iron pan over very low heat. Lightly butter the griddle/pan, and cook the rounds on one side until browned. This took me about 8 minutes. Turn the scones over, and cook on the other side, again, over very low heat. To check to see that they are done, pick one of them up and tap it lightly - it should sound hollow. Each side should be browned as pictured. 
  6. Serve with butter and/or jam. 


The rest of the Bread Baking Babes:
Singing Hinnies Griddle Scones in a stack #scones

Would you like to comment?

  1. My mother used to make these for us when we were growing up! I loathe currents, so I'm really liking your blueberry substitution... ��

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    1. They are pretty much the best dried fruit ever.

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  2. Ah Karen, dried blueberries are my favorite thing to put in cinnamon rolls! Using them in the Singing Hinnies YES I fully understand that. I had no currents and am not really fond of them but the yellow raisins were excellent. Next up will be blueberries.
    Yours look bakery perfect!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Tanna! You definitely need to try it with the blueberries. So good.

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  3. Your hinnies are perfect! So round. So golden.

    Dried blueberries? I don't think we've ever seen them; I neeeeeeeed to try them.

    Ha! I love how noble you were to test one of the hinnies with butter before serving them to others.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Elizabeth, and yes, definitely hunt down the blueberries. =)

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    2. Today, we're going in search of frozen wild blueberries (we suddenly decided we neeeeeeeded blueberry pie) and we'll look for dried blueberries at the same time. Watch, we'll start seeing them everywhere now that we know they exist.

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  4. Oh I love the idea of these! and the name... and everything!

    amazing, I had never heard of these beauties... always learning something new from you!

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    Replies
    1. They are fun, aren't they? The English always have a way of naming things that makes me laugh.

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  5. Now I really have to try these with dried blueberries. We get a big bag at Costco and they seem to be gone in no time...so good! Glad you liked these. Kind of you to make sure they were OK first...I did that too.

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    Replies
    1. It’s a bit of a sacrifice but I managed. .. =)

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  6. Those are absolute perfection! And I do like the idea of dried blueberries.

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  7. Your Singing Hinnies look beautiful! I love the colors and backdrop you used in your photos. Very nice rise.

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  8. I simply love scones so much! especially with a cup of tea.

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