Perfect Fruit Scones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m seriously fond of my own ‘simple scones’ – they are so light and fluffy, and a perfect receptacle for some delicious whipped cream and jam. I think that they were the very first recipe I posted here on Eating for Ireland.

Here’s the link in case you just want plain scones!

https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/home-made-scones/

I’ve always felt though, that the very lightness of them didn’t really support any additions, so I’d been looking for a good fruit scone recipe, and I finally found it!

This recipe came from the Good Food website, and I make  these scones literally at the drop of a hat. They always turn out beautifully – she said modestly..

It’s a slightly bigger recipe than my simple scones, but you get 8-10 really good-sized scones for your money – don’t worry about over-catering – they’ll be gone in a flash!

EQUIPMENT:                          

• A large mixing bowl
• measuring spoons
• Balloon whisk
• Large shallow baking tray
• Coarse grater
• flat-bladed knife
• Sharp knife for cutting scones
• Rolling pin
• Pastry brush

INGREDIENTS: This recipe will give you 8-10 large scones

• 350g Self Raising Flour
• 1 spoonful of Baking Powder – please use measuring spoons for this, it’s actually quite important
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 85g very cold unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of caster sugar –  I use Golden caster.
• 100g Sultanas or Raisins
• 100-150mls Buttermilk
• 1 capful of Vanilla or Orange extract – optional
• a small egg, and a splash of milk, beaten together – optional.

METHOD:

• Heat the oven to 200°Fan – so yes, very hot.
• Put the baking tray in to heat. Cut a sheet of baking parchment for the tray, and keep it nearby when cutting the scones.
• Sift the Flour, Baking Powder and salt together into the mixing bowl, mix it together with the Balloon whisk.
• Grate in the butter – dip it into the flour mixture to keep it from sticking to your hands as you grate. Using your hands, crumble/rub the butter into the flour, until there are no big lumps of butter left.
• Mix in the sugar.
• Add the fruit, and mix through.
• Add about 100mls of the Buttermilk and the vanilla or orange extract  –
• Then – using the flat-bladed knife – start to bring the dough together, adding extra Buttermilk a little at a time as you need it to make a fairly thick dough. Turn the dough over and over to gather up all the last bits of dryish mixture.
• Flour your hands, then move the dough in one piece onto a floured surface, and fold it over itself 2 or 3 times – as with all scone mixtures, avoid over-handling it.
• Pat it into an oval shape about 3cms deep.
• Give it a gentle roll with the Rolling pin to smooth out the top
• Remove the heated tray from the oven, put it on a heat-proof board, and put the sheet of baking parchment on it.
• Start cutting out the scones, and as you do, place them onto the tray immediately.
• Here’s the easy ‘no-cutters’ method of cutting this dough! I gave up using pastry cutters for fruit scones very early on, as I kept running into those pesky raisins! This method is really quick and easy, AND there’s no re-rolling! Result!

 

 

•  Bring the dough to the ready-to-cut stage, then, using a sharp knife, cut it into 4 bands as seen above.
• Cut the two end blocks into 2 scones each.
• Then cut the two central blocks into 4.

• Cut each long piece into 4 triangular pieces
• Pop them onto the heated tray as you cut them.

• Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of the scones with an egg wash, or if  you’re short of time/bone idle like me, with just a little extra buttermilk – or, you know, not at all…
• Put the tray straight into the hot oven and put 12 minutes on the timer.
• After 10 minutes, have a look – the scones will have risen nicely, but will be a bit pale still – so gently turn the tray around, and give them another 3-4 minutes until they’re nicely browned.
• Once browned to your liking, remove them to a cooling rack.
• These are lovely warm, with some butter, or cooler with butter or cream, and jam.
• They’re best on the day they’re made, but absolutely fine for even a day or two afterwards.

 

NOTES:

• Mostly I don’t bother with the egg wash etc. ‘cos that’s the sort of me.. 😉
• However, I have started using measuring spoons for things like Baking Powder etc. I used to just pull a spoon out of the cutlery drawer, which was a bit haphazard, so I’m happier using proper measuring spoons – if you can get yourself a set, they’re a good investment..