An English Scone: hardly rocket science or a culinary pearl but so likely to bring joy and pleasure to your table. It somehow revives memories of seashore tearooms: seagulls stealing unattended teacakes, kids running around oblivious of the eye-rollers, dogs enjoying a little tickle from strangers…
You cannot be too methodical about the scone, be sure the recipe works with milk, buttermilk or even plain yogurt. A bit more or less of ingredients seems to be fine too. This make the scone so convenient when family’s on the way… If only we had clotted cream and good English strawberry jam in the larder at all times!
Ingredients:
- 360g plain white flour
- 75g caster sugar
- 75g unsalted butter cubes
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 225g Greek style yogurt
- 75g sultanas (optional)
- 1 egg + another for glazing
Method
Place flour, baking powder, sugar and butter into a mixing bowl. Using finger tips only to rub in the butter until the mixture creates fluffy crumbs.
Beat yogurt and egg together and pour to the crumbly mix. Add raisins and using a wooden spoon combine all ingredients together.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough in half until it becomes smooth but remains a little wet and light. Be wary the dough does not like being overworked as it may loose its fluffiness.
Sprinkle flour over the top and using a rolling pin roll the dough gently to about 2.5cm (1inch) thick. Then cut the scones out using 7cm pastry cutter pre-dipped in flour to prevent sticking.
You can fold up the leftover dough and re-roll it to cut out more scones. Try to avoid doing it more than twice as the scones from later batches are less fluffy.
Leave the scones to rest on a greased tray whilst you heat your oven to 220° C. Then brush the tops with beaten egg to glaze. Bake for about 15min or until golden brown.
Leave to cool, then split in half and enjoy with a good dollop of clotted cream and strawberry jam.
