Scottish Scones With Honey Butter Recipes

SCOTTISH GIRDLE SCONES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Cube the cold butter and place in a mixer with the sugar. Use a flat beater to combine--don't worry about it being perfect. You are not creaming this until light and fluffy.
• Add the flour mixture and once again beat to combine.
• Mix in the currants
• Whisk together the buttermilk and egg until the egg is thoroughly emulsified into buttermilk. Then add the buttermilk mixture to the mixer bowl and beat until just combined.
• Remove about half of the dough and pat it into a circle--be sure not to over-handle. Roll to about 3/4 inch thickness, and then use a biscuit cutter to cut into circles. I used a 2-inch diameter circle. Set aside on a platter for cooking. Repeat with remaining dough and when you are down to scraps just make a scone or 2 shaped with your hands that will not be perfect circles. Think of them as the cook's treat!
• As with pancakes, it may take 1 or 2 scones the first time you make these to get the heat just right for your particular cooktop. Cast iron or enameled cast iron works best. If you are concerned use a little butter to grease the pan (if you use stainless steel, which I do not recommend, you may need a lot of butter which will change the final result). On my induction cooktop medium to slightly below medium heat worked best, although I started at a higher temperature. You will know it is ready when a little flour sprinkled on the surface turns light brown immediately.
• Cook on the first side until the scone is raised and light brown on the bottom. Flip to cook until light brown on the other side and cooked all the way through. As with pancakes, you may need to slice into your first one to make sure you are getting it right, but after that it will go fast. And after that first one, you can cook more than one at a time, but do not overcrowd them or they will not rise properly or brown.
• These scones in dough form felt quite heavy and then when they were done they were quite light. My best guess is from water evaporating.
• Smother in butter and honey and devour immediately. Or take some to the neighbor wrapped in a towel.

SCOTTISH BRAN SCONES

Steps:

• Sieve dry ingredients.
• Mix in butter with a fork.
• Use as much milk as required to make a very soft dough.
• Shape into a thick round.
• Score into a quarter; dust with flour.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius.

SCOTTISH OAT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease cookie sheet. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix together butter, milk and egg in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Mix in raisins. Shape dough into ball.
• Place on lightly floured work surface. Pat out to form 3/4-inch-thick circle. Using sharp knife, cut into 12 wedges. Transfer to prepared cookies sheet. Bake until light brown, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.)

SCONES WITH HONEY BUTTER

Steps:

• For the buttermilk and honey butter: combine the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and turn on high. The liquid will slosh, whip, and then separate after 4 minutes. When the mixture separates, stop processing and strain out the buttermilk--there should be exactly 3/4 cup, which is what you need for the scones. Strain out the butter and squeeze dry.
• For the scones: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a food processor bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add cold butter cubes and pulse until you have a texture of coarse bread crumbs.
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Toss berries (which have been washed and dried thoroughly) in a small amount of flour and add them to the mixture.
• Add the buttermilk and either toss with a fork or fold with a spatula to incorporate the berries without smashing them. Mix to combine, but don't over mix.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of each scone lightly with buttermilk or a bit of milk and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake until golden brown, and nice and puffy, about 10-15 minutes.
• Serve warm with orange honey butter.
• Notes: if you are making a scone with juice, add that after you do the buttermilk step. When I use fresh fruit juice, I don't put any sugar in the dough recipe because I think it makes it too sweet. You want to stick with small to medium scones here. Large ones will be too dark outside and under cooked inside.

MARY HEARTY BYE'S SCOTTISH SCONES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk and egg with a fork just until a soft dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, divide dough into thirds and knead each piece 3 or 4 times. Pat each piece into a 6-inch round (1/2 inch thick), then cut each round into 4 wedges.
• Heat griddle over low heat until hot, then lightly oil.
• Working in 2 batches, dust each wedge of dough with flour, patting off excess, then cook over low heat, undisturbed, 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and cook until puffed and undersides are golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes more. Turn scones over and cook until undersides are golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes (watch closely; move scones and adjust heat as needed so they cook through without burning). Turn scones on edges and cook until golden-brown, about 1 minute per edge. Cut one scone open to check for doneness.
• Transfer to a rack and cool to warm. (Lightly oil griddle between batches.)