Irish Buttermilk Scones Cheese Herb Scones Recipes

IRISH BUTTERMILK SCONES / CHEESE & HERB SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F (gas mark 8).
• Sift flour with salt and rub in butter or margarine.
• For Cheese& Herb Scones add mustard, cheese and herbs to the dry ingredients at this point.
• Make a well in the centre and pour in the egg and most of the buttermilk.
• Mix quickly to form a soft dough, adding a little extra buttermilk if necessary.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out lightly until 1" thick.
• Working quickly, cut into 2" rounds.
• Glaze with egg or milk and set on a floured baking sheet.
• Before baking, dust scones with cinnamon sugar for Buttermilk Scones or sprinkle a little grated cheese on top of each scone for Cheese& Herb Scones.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until light brown.

IRISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add softened butter and sugar, mix well. Stir in milk or buttermilk. Also stir in raisins or dried fruit. Press dough onto a floured surface and roll out gently to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut scones into round shapes or triangles. Brush scones with egg wash for shine. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. Add currants, if desired.
• Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade.

ULTRA-BUTTERY IRISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk milk, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut 10 Tbsp. butter into 1/2" cubes, add to flour mixture, and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-size pieces form with some larger chunks remaining. Add milk mixture and stir with a fork until large clumps form. Gently knead in the bowl until dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 14x8" rectangle, with long side facing you. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a small, microwave-proof bowl in the microwave until softened but not melted, about 20 seconds. Spread evenly over dough with fingertips, then sprinkle currants evenly on top and press to adhere. Fold up bottom third of dough over center, then fold down top third to meet bottom edge, as if folding a letter. Fold in half crosswise, then, using a rolling pin, gently flatten into an 8x4" rectangle.
• Cut dough in half lengthwise and in quarters crosswise to form 8 even squares. Transfer to prepared pan, spacing 2" apart. Sprinkle tops generously with demerara sugar and lightly with flaky sea salt.
• Bake until scones are golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter bubbles, remove from heat and skim off foam from surface. As soon as the scones come out of the oven, lightly brush tops with clarified butter, leaving behind white solids in bottom of saucepan. Cool scones on sheet on a wire rack and serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

FRESH HERB SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Lightly grease cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine flour, parsley, sugar, thyme, baking powder, rosemary and salt; mix well.
• With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in milk and egg just until moistened.
• On floured surface, gently knead dough 10 times.
• Place on cookie sheet; roll or pat dough into a 6" round.
• Cut 8 wedges; separate slightly.
• Bake for 15-20 min.
• or until golden brown.
• serve warm.