Monday 27 October 2008

Buttermilk is essential...

My mother makes the most delicious scones...

they are as light as a feather
because she always makes them
in a hurry
at the very last minute...

(or possibly the minute after that)

When Sarah and Breadbox asked for my scone recipe
I was rather embarassed
because I have not made scones for years.

However, they are both good friends of this blog
and so...
here is my scone recipe:

Although it is not MY recipe ...
it is Angela Nilsen's
from her extraordinary tour de force

8oz self raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 oz golden caster sugar
2 oz lightly salted chilled butter
4 fl oz buttermilk
milk

Sift the flour and salt together.
Cut the butter into small pieces
and rub into the flour with your fingers,
Do not overwork or the scones will be tough.
Mix in the caster sugar.
Slacken the buttermilk with a small amount of milk
and mix half of the liquid into flour mixture
with a round bladed knife.
Add sufficient buttermilk to make a soft dough.
Lift out of bowl onto lightly floured surface
and pat to approx 1" thick.
Cut scones using cutter of your choice.
Glaze top with beaten egg
and bake on a buttered baking tray
for 12 minutes at 220 C
until risen and golden brown.

Eat warm with jam and cream.



My mother's recipe remains a closely guarded secret.

16 comments:

Lynn said...

Oh! Oh! Oh! For those, I would embrace gluten once again. Awaiting my invitation...

Allison said...

Um, ok, you do realize that I started my "bye-bye baby weight diet" today, don't you? These are irresistable!

M said...

You know, I just LOVE scones. I LOVE them even more with real strawberry jam and super thick real straight from a Jersey Cow cream.

But, I think scones are quite polarising. I, for example, bake mine in a high-sided pan all stuck together. Yet, yours look fabulous baked on a scone tray (as Fairlie also likes to bake them).

Oh dear, I am confused. I think I will try yours because I do love buttermilk. Thanks for sharing.

Ali said...

Your scones provide hope - I had a very disappointing one on Friday at a tearoom. It was a waste of good clotted cream.

Must put scones on my 'bake soon' list.

dottycookie said...

Yes, yes, buttermilk is completely indispensable! But (and I hardly dare to ask this for fear of causing offence) where are the sultanas?

driftwood said...

mmmm delicious. but what we really want is the secret recipe..... or just a hint of it maybe........

Gina said...

Mouthwatering! There is something so satisfying and wholesome about warm scones with butter (or cream) and jam.

walter and me said...

Oh yum! And I have some buttermilk in the fridge...I can feel a batch of scones coming on.

Anonymous said...

DC - Ours not to raisin why

does the D refer to ingredients ??

Anonymous said...

ps - the next post from MrsM will be on elocution on how to pronounce scone correctly.

From my perspective it is very difficult to say it either way with a mouthful of clotted cream tea

Anonymous said...

You are making my mouth water. They look wonderful, I shall have to try making my next batch with buttermilk.
(My mother always makes her scones with sour milk and they are gorgeous.)

Anonymous said...

Would you like to see my latest magic trick?

I can make a tray of freshly baked scones disappear.

As soon as you leave the room.

Magic!

blackbird said...

Now
hungry.

Anonymous said...

Oh thank you Alice. I shall have to make them this week. My olny question is about the sugar. Golden caster sugar? I am not sure what that is. Maybe a American thing??

Attic24 said...

I note there is no mysterious Cream Of Tatar in your scone recipe? Interesting.

I may give it a go..but I may not. Scone making scares me, I am afraid of the Failure-to-rise factor :: I was severely emotionally scarred by a recent disasterous attempt at Yorkshire Pudding, which resembled an overcooked pancake :: oh the SHAME of living in Yorkshire and not being able to make yorkshire pudding.
xx

BreadBox said...

Thank you so much! I look away from blogs for a couple of days and so much happens....

(Things are really rather hectic here in the BreadBoxBox, with parents visiting, a monumentally important election upon us, a sixth birthday round the corner, etc....
but I shall have to try to squeeze in a few moments to bake these. Perhaps Sunday. November 16....)