I like to kick-start the week with a bit of baking bliss. The whir of my Ilve oven and the aroma of biscuits, cakes, slices or breads as they bake is wonderfully comforting. For me, home baking is relaxing and rewarding, because at the end of a session of stirring, whisking, kneading, icing, folding and decorating there is a batch or two of sweet or savoury baked goods ready to serve up to my family of enthusiastic eaters. 

I especially enjoy sitting down with the newspaper, a cup of steaming tea cradled in one hand and tasting whatever I have whipped up only a short time before. Having said this, I usually end up sharing it with one of my younger children who seem to truly believe that anything eaten off mum’s plate must taste superior to that on their plate. 

This afternoon I pulled these Cloud Scones out of the oven just a few minutes before my girls walked in the door after catching the school bus home. Their noses must have instinctively twitched with delight as they walked inside because it was only seconds before I heard Jana, my eldest daughter asked, “What is that amazingly delicious smell?” It’s incredible how impressive an aroma can be from just a few drops of vanilla extract brushed across the top of the scones prior to baking. 

It’s worth making a decent batch of Cloud Scones so that they can be added to children’s lunch boxes the next day. I have blogged about them previously – see the recipe published on the 5th June – and they are a regular on the afternoon tea scene at our house. Today I was also able to share these scones with my lovely neighbour and friend Beverley, who dropped by to help my girls with their piano recital practise. 

Oh and what did we have for dinner this evening? I made a one pot wonder – Oh So Easy Oven Baked Risotto (recipe published on the 29th August), using Spring lamb backstrap instead of chicken thighs. Seconds please!