John Torode's drop scones with spiced pineapple

We return to the Sri Lankan sun as John Torode travels inland to the beautiful tea fields at the Ceylon Tea Trails Dunkeld Bungalow.

John learns how world-famous Ceylon tea is made before cooking up a sweet treat of drop scones with sweet tea syrup.

Ingredients

For the topping:

100g coconut syrup

100ml strong black Ceylon tea

½ small red chilli finely diced, with seeds

½ small green chilli, finely diced, with seeds

3 cardamom pods, cracked

1 small pineapple, peeled and cored (about 275g pineapple flesh) cut into 1cm cubes

1 fresh mango, peeled and cut into small dice

For the drop scones:

175g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp caster sugar

1 large egg, separated

200ml coconut milk

Oil, for frying

Method

• To make the syrup, place the coconut syrup, strong tea, chilli and cardamom in a pan and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and reduce by half

• Add the pineapple to the pan, return to the boil then remove for the heat and allow to cool a little

• To make the scones, sieve the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar into a large bowl

• Separate the egg and whisk the white in a clean bowl until soft peaks form

• Whisk together the coconut milk and egg yolk, then stir into the flour mixture with the butter

• Carefully fold the egg whites in to make a light fluffy batter

• Heat a large frying pan with a little oil. Place large spoonfuls of the mixture in the pan and cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn the scones over and cook for a minute or so on the other side, or until cooked through.

• Serve the scones stacked on plates, spoon over the pineapple and syrup and then sprinkle the mango over the top

With thanks to Resplendent Ceylon Tea Trails