Plain Scones Recipes

SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan / convection).
• Place flour in food processor, then butter. Blitz on high for 8 seconds until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Pour milk all over the flour (don't pour in one place). Blitz for 6 to 8 seconds on high until the crumbs turn into ball(s).
• Transfer dough onto work surface, scrape out residual bits in the food processor.
• Knead lightly no more than 10 times just to bring the dough together into one smooth ball, then pat down into a 2 cm / 4/5" thick disc. Dust with extra flour if necessary (I don't need it).
• Optional: Lightly roll across the top with a rolling pin to smooth the top.
• Dip a 5 cm / 2" round cutter into Extra Flour.
• Plunge cutter straight down and back out into dough - do not twist. Repeat all over disc.
• Remove excess dough from around scones, then carefully transfer scones onto baking tray, taking care not to smear / press the cut sides. (Note 4)
• Gather together dough scraps and repeat. I get 10 scones in total.
• Brush tops lightly with milk. (Optional)
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the top is golden and it sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from oven, then transfer onto dish towel and wrap loosely (makes top soft).
• Once cooled to warm (10 - 15 minutes), serve warm.
• Tradition is to split the scone with hands (no knife!), slather with jam and dollop on cream.

PLAIN SCONES!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F / 230°C / gas 8 and lightly grease a baking tray.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar. Add all the milk and mix lightly into a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead briefly. Do not overwork the dough or your scones will be tough!
• Roll the dough out to 1.25cm / 1/2 in thickness and cut out rounds.
• Place on the greased baking tray. Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake for 7-10 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack!

SIMPLE SCONES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
• Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
• Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

ENGLISH PLAIN SCONES

Steps:

• Put the flour and salt in a bowl then rub in the butter.
• Add the sugar.
• Add the milk and mix to form a dough. You may want to mix with a knife as the dough gets very sticky as you add the milk.
• Flour a board ready for the dough. EXTRA TIP: Using rice flour on your board at this stage will make your scones wonderfully crisp on the outside.
• Knead the dough lightly on the board.
• Roll with floured rolling pin (or press with your hand) the dough to about 2cm thick.
• Cut rounds from the dough with a cutter (or use a glass with edges dipped in flour if you don't have a round cutter).
• Place the rounds on greaseproof paper lightly dusted with flour on a baking sheet/tray. Or use a greased tray.
• Gather up the odd bits of dough and lightly knead them together. Press/roll to 2cm thick again on your floured board, cut rounds and repeat until all the dough is used.
• Optional: Brush the tops of the scones with a little bit of milk.
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes until they have risen and start to become golden. Gas mark 7, 220c.

SIMPLE SWEET SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F (220 Celsius).
• Put flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl; stir mix well Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers, until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
• Add sugar; toss to mix.
• Add milk and stir with a wooden spoon until dough forms,(the dough may be a bit crumbly).
• Place dough on floured counter and knead gently until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Pat or roll into a circle about 1 1/2 inches thick.
• cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges.
• place wedges on a greased cookie sheet- slightly apart for crisp sides, touching for soft.
• Bake about 12 minutes, or until medium brown on top.

CLASSIC SCONES WITH JAM & CLOTTED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the self-raising flour into a large bowl with ¼ tsp salt and the baking powder, then mix.
• Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the caster sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
• Put a baking tray in the oven. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first.
• Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep. Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to refresh.