175g (6oz) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
40g (11⁄2oz) golden caster sugar
pinch of fine sea salt
1 egg
1 small pinch of saffron strands
about 100ml (31⁄2fl oz) milk
a few drops of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon runny honey, plus extra for serving
1 or 2 handfuls of ripe blackberries
1 large knob of butter, plus extra for serving
To make the pancake batter, place the flour into a large mixing bowl with the baking powder, sugar and salt. Crack in the egg, then add the saffron, milk, vanilla and honey. Use a whisk to combine fully. Lightly crush the blackberries and add them to the bowl, then stir through.
Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Pour most of the bubbling butter into the pancake batter and stir it through to combine thoroughly. Then, one by one, add
4 generous tablespoons of batter to the pan, to make four individual pools of batter. Cook them for 1–2 minutes, until the undersides are golden, then use a small spatula to flip each drop scone over and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes until that side is golden, too. Remove the cooked drop scones to a plate or board while you repeat with the remaining batter, until it is completely used up. Serve the scones warm spread with butter and plenty more honey.