Sometimes you just have to forget the diet thing. Like when it is a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon, unseasonably warm for October – and you really feel like a Proper Cream Tea. So I made a batch of Rachel Allen’s “Light Sweet Scones” – using a smaller cutter to make 18, not 12 – and we ate some. and the rest have gone into the freezer for another day.
- 500g plain flour
- 1 rounded tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 2 rounded tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 125g cold butter [or marg]
- 25g caster sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 275ml milk or5 buttermilk
- 50g caster sugar [for dusting]
- Preheat oven to 220ºC
- Sift first four dry ingredients, rub in fat till mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar
- Set aside one third of the beaten egg, mix the rest with the milk. Mix milk with dry ingredients and mix briefly t0o combine into a moist dough. Place on lightly floured work surface and knead slightly. Press or roll out to thickness of 2cm.
- With a cutter, cut out 12 scones [or 18 smaller ones] and place on floured baking tray. Mix 1tsp milk with remaining egg and brush over tops of scones.
- Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes till golden brown. Eat as soon as possible.
As I say, I made mine smaller. I had no cream, so stirred a little icing sugar into some greek yogurt instead. And I topped mine with cinnamon sugar [I keep a sifter of sugar plus cinnamon in my baking cupboard ready prepared for such situations] Recipe from “Bake”
The photo of the scones is one from the internet. I did serve mine all very properly with cups and saucers, napkins, and little dishes and spoons with yogurt and jam [bramble jelly, actually]
But you can tell they are not our scones. We are “jam before cream” people!
And we say scone to rhyme with John, not scone to rhyme with Joan!
Does anyone else remember this song - written by the comedian Charlie Chester? It used to be terribly popular for school assemblies at one time [probably not appropriately PC for nowadays]
I have seen the golden sunshine
I have watched the flowers grow
I’ve listened to the song birds
And there’s one thing that I know
They were all put there for us to share
By Someone so divine
If you’re a friend of Jesus
You’re a friend of mine
I’ve seen the light, I’ve seen the light
And that’s why my heart sings
I’ve known the joy, I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings
Looks like a good recipe - I'd never used buttermilk before making cakes for my brother's wedding a few weeks ago (a blog post to come!!), but I had some left over so made a batch of scones using a very similar rece (though mine didn't have the tartar in them.
ReplyDeleteWe sang that song a lot when I was little, in school assemblies and in Sunday school. I remember enthusiastic clapping between 'if you're a friend of Jesus' and 'you're a friend of mine'.
Rob (who knows these things) says that it's still used in most primary schools :o)
Many scones have a very distinct 'soda' taste - but these ones don't. I forgot to say that this time I used ordinary semi skimmed milk, not buttermilk.
ReplyDeleteYes, I recall that song... and have taught it my share of little girlies in Explorers... happy days!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely scones to rhyme with john, and defintiyely jam before cream... anyhting else must be heresy!
I like that song, and I'll try to remember to say scones to rhyme with John! I'm learning. ~Liz
ReplyDeleteScones are always yummy and the pot of cream in our fridge was calling out for scones (jam on first) but we were too late back from our ramble this afternoon so enjoyed the cream with blackberry and apple crumble. I usually use the Good Housekeeping recipe but will try and remember to try this one next time. 'Light' versions always make me feel less guilty!
ReplyDeleteI remember that song very well, always a favourite with the children at Sunday School and mine definitely sang it at school too.
Yummy! Brilliant plan for a Sunday afternoon!
ReplyDeleteI wish we sang more at school. I'm going to work on that.
But if you're a friend of Jesus (clap, clap, clap, clap)
ReplyDeleteYou're a friend of mine! Or at least that was how it was going in Cumbria in the '90s!
I see Sarah did it that way too - I'm probably old enough to have taught her! Good grief.
Scones look good. I'm with you on serving suggestions and pronunciation.
I'm so glad you know how to pronounce scones properly! And I'm very impressed with the Rachel Allen thing! Lots of Irish promise!
ReplyDeleteThis is the third time I've tried to post a comment here!
ReplyDeleteBeing from Ulster, I make scones all the time. People who don't say scones to rhyme with Johns don't get any : ) My husband is from Devon so we have jam first. If the scones are fresh out of the oven then I like them with just butter.
If you have milk that is "on the turn" then the proportion of lactic acid is just right for huge, fluffy scones. Buttermilk is best, though although you can add a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice to fresh milk and let it sit a while before making the scones. When I was growing up, the milkman delivered bottles of buttermilk to the doorstep along with the bottles of "sweet" milk. When I first came over to England, I was horrified at the little tubs of buttermilk and the price that was charged for them.
Jo
Dear Jo - at last your comment has got through. Thanks for the suggestions for adding acids to milk to make a buttermilk substitute [doesn't Rachel ''s MIL suggest that somewhere in one of the books?]
ReplyDelete