Very British - Scones to live by

…… I’m talking to you, Nikki!!!

My best friend Nikki is very much the Anglophile. So, here’s a recipe I think she would like. I can just imagine a tea party brewing…

Scones with sultanas and cranberries

Prep time: 10-15 min., baking 13-15 min.

Ingredients (yields 6 scones):

• 200g all-purpose flour, plus more for handling the dough
• 1,5 tsp baking powder
• 2,5 tbsp white sugar
• 0,5 tsp fine sea salt
• 60g cold butter
• 50g chopped sultanas and cranberries (or other dried fruits)
• 140-150g milk (1,5 %) or buttermilk (amount corrected)
• for brushing: 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk

serve with unsalted butter or clotted cream and jam

Preheat your oven to 220°C (425° Fahrenheit) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. You can prepare the dough either by hand or in a food processor.

With a food processor: Give the flour, the baking powder, the sugar as well as the salt a quick spin until well mixed. Cut the really cold butter into small cubes and add them to the dry ingredients using the pulse function four or five times until you can spot no butter pieces that are larger than small peas. Distribute the chopped dried fruits and pulse once or twice, then add the milk (or buttermilk) and pulse again just until the dough comes together and doesn't show big spots of dry flour anymore - it may still be a little wet though (you can add a little more flour if you think it's too wet to proceed).

By hand: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, the baking powder, the sugar as well as the salt using a (wooden) spoon. Cut the really cold butter into small cubes and add them to the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingertips to rub it in until you can spot no butter pieces that are larger than small peas. Mix in the chopped dried fruits until well distributed, then add the milk (or buttermilk) and stir in quickly just until the dough comes together and doesn't show big spots of dry flour anymore - it may still be a little wet though (you can add a little more flour if you think it's too wet to proceed).

Dump onto a well floured board, generously sprinkle with flour and knead very shortly (3 or 4 times should be enough!) to ensure a fluffy crumb (whereas overkneading results in tough scones). Pat into a round disc of about 3 cm (~1,25 inch) thick and cut out rounds with a cookie cutter (mine has a diameter of 6 cm/~2,5 inches) and place them on the parchment paper lined baking tray. (If you dip the cookie cutter in flour after each, the next one will come off more easily. Besides, try not to twist the cookie cutter, because this causes the scones to rise unevenly.) Quickly knead together remaining dough, pat to the same thickness and cut out more scones.

Lightly beat the egg yolk with one tbsp of milk and brush the tops of the scones. Bake on middle level for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Best enjoyed while still warm with unsalted butter/clotted cream and jam.

 

Easy Clotted Cream

 

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Using a whisk attachment on the mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Remove from mixer, and hand whisk in the sour cream and confectioners' sugar until just combined. Store in refrigerator.