I’m seriously fond of my own ‘simple scones’ – they are so light and fluffy, and a perfect background for some delicious whipped cream and jam. I think that they were the very first recipe I posted here on Eating for Ireland..
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’ve been looking for a good fruit scone recipe for ages, and I think I’ve finally found it!
I know – it’s great news – I’m excited too #mightneedtogetoutmore
This came from the Good Food website, and I’ve made two batches in the past couple of days – to be sure, to be sure – and both times they’ve turned out beautifully.
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! See NOTES for an alternative way to cut them ..
EQUIPMENT:
- Medium/large mixing bowl
- Weighing scales
- measuring spoons
- Sieve
- Large shallow baking tray
- Coarse grater
- flat-bladed knife
- Pastry cutter – I use a 2-3inch or 6-7cm cutter for this recipe
- Pastry brush
INGREDIENTS: This recipe will give you 8-10 large scones
- 350g Self Raising Flour
- 1 spoonful of Baking Powder
- 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
- a small egg, and a splash of milk, beaten together – optional.
METHOD:
- Heat the oven to 200CFan – so yes, very hot.
- Put the baking tray in to heat
- Sift the Four, baking Powder and salt together into the mixing bowl
- Dip the butter into the flour mixture, then grate it with the grater, then rub it in quickly with your fingertips – you could of course tip the flour, baking powder, salt and butter into a food processor and blitz it until it resembles breadcrumbs, but recently I’ve found the grater an easier option (see NOTES)
- Mix in the sugar.
- Add the fruit, and mix through.
- Add about 100mls of the Buttermilk to start off – add the vanilla or orange extract now – then using the flat-bladed knife -start to bring the dough together, adding extra Buttermilk as you need it to make a fairly thick dough.
- 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.
- Remove the heated tray from the oven, and as you cut out the scones, place them onto the tray immediately.
- See NOTES for the easy, ‘no-cutters’ method of cutting this scone dough!
- You’ll get 5 or 6 scones from this first cutting, so bring the leftovers together and reform, then cut the last of the scones.
- 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..
- Put the tray straight into the hot oven and put 12 minutes on the timer.
- After 12 minutes, have a look – the scones will be risen nicely, but a bit pale still – so gently turn the tray around, and give them another 3-5 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:
- The larger cutter works better than my usual small one, as it seems to avoid the fruit when you’re cutting the scones.
- To simply cut the dough, rather than pressing out scones, bring the dough to the ready-to-cut stage, then, using a sharp knife, cut it into 4 bands
- Cut the two end blocks into 2 scones each.
- Then cut the two central blocks into 4.
- Pop them onto the heated tray as you cut them.
- Bake as before
- Mostly I don’t bother with the egg wash etc.
- I’ve started using measuring spoons for things like Bicarbonate of Soda 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..