The Ultimate Scone Recipes

ULTIMATE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C and lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you're using a non-stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Shoot in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it's a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar.
• Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it. Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round-bladed knife, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding a little bit back in case it's not needed. Using the knife, gently work the mixture together until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough. Work in any loose dry bits of mixture with the rest of the buttermilk. Don't overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.
• Lift the ball of soft dough out of the bowl and put it on to a very lightly floured surface. Knead the mixture just 3-4 times to get rid of the cracks.
• Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip a 5.5cm round fluted cutter into a bowl of flour - this helps to stop the dough sticking to it, then cut out the scones by pushing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of your hand - don't twist it.You will hear the dough give a big sigh as the cutter goes in. Gather the trimmings lightly then pat and cut out a couple more scones.
• Place on the baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze if you wish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, or covered loosely with a cloth for soft ones.
• Serve with strawberry jam and a generous mound of clotted cream (Cornish people put jam first, then cream, Devonians the other way round). Eat them as fresh as you can.

THE ULTIMATE SCONE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220*C (425*F) Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt.
• Shoot in the butter,then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go.
• Stir in the sugar.
• Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it.
• Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding some back just in case it's not needed.
• Gently work the mixture together with a knife, until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough.
• Work in any loose dry bits of the mixture with the rest of the buttermilk.
• Don't overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.
• Lift out the dough and knead gently 3 to 4 times to get rid of any cracks.
• Pat the dough gently to a thickness of no more than 1 inch.
• Dip a round fluted cutter into bowl of flour and cut out the scones by pusing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of you hand.
• Don't twist it.
• Gather the trimmings, pat lightly and cut into more scones.
• Place onto a baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze with some milk if you wish.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until risen and golden.
• Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, covered loosely if you prefer soft ones.
• Serve with strawberry jam and a generous mound of clotted cream.