Definite staple for us Brits. Great to serve for Afternoon Tea....I like mine toasted the following day for breakfast....yum
This recipe is for plain sweet scones....you can add dried fruit or a few blueberries. As you progress you can devise so many variations of your own.
I have savoury recipes for cheese scones & olive scone bake if you need them....let me know.
Here's a few rules that will make all the difference to your scones
Invest in some good scales.... accurate weighing makes all the difference when baking
Work quickly, lightly and not at all heavy handed
Flour..... Use fresh good quality self raising flour....I use Homepride....I can't tell you what a difference it makes
Old SR flour loses it's raising power. so you're just wasting money if you use it. Think of all the other ingredients you're wasting too.
Make sure your Baking Powder is well in date. Throw it in the bin otherwise....it doesn't work at all well when stale. Also don't use too much it's counter effective.
I use cold unsalted butter cut down into cubes so it's easy to rub in. You can use margarine but the flavour won't be there.
I like to use Buttermilk to bind them together. If you haven't got any then sour milk makes wonderful scones, this is what my mother always used. You can sour milk by leaving it out for a while to get to room temperature and adding a good squeeze of lemon juice. When it starts to curdle it's good to go.
Use a plain not fluted cutter & dip your cutter into flour before each cut....seems to make them rise better
Glaze just the top, not the sides...glazing the sides stops them rising
Heat the tray you're going to use in the oven until the oven reaches the required temperature ....arrange the unbaked scones on and quickly place in back in the oven
Basic recipe:- to make 8-10 scones
you will need a greased baking tray....heated as explained above
a 5cm plain round cutter
12oz - 375 gms Self Raising Flour......see above
1 level tsp Baking Powder ditto
pinch of salt
3 tbps caster (superfine) sugar
3oz-90gms unsalted butter
approx 6 fluid oz /175 Buttermilk /Soured milk ( may take more or a little less depending on the flour absorbancy
a little beaten egg to glaze
add a handful of dried fruit eg. sultanas or raisins but this is optional
Method
Heat the oven to 220c/425f/gas mark 7
Sift the flour, baking powder & salt into a large mixing bowl
rub in the cubed butter until it forms a breadcrumb texture
Add the sugar and mix through
Make a well in the centre and add almost all the buttermilk, mix together quickly with the blade of a knife
The mix should be quite sticky initally. Add a little more buttermilk if the dough is dry
Lightly bring together to form a ball
Do not overwork the dough at any stage !!!!!!!
Dredge your worksurface with flour.
Turn out the dough
Lightly roll it out, you can even lightly press it with hands to approximately 1½"/4cms thick
Cut into rounds....you'll probably only get 4 or 5 at this stage
Quickly and gently reform the dough and cut some more
Brush with beaten egg
Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and quickly arrange to scones on it
Bake for around 10 minutes 220c/425f/gas mark 7
They should be golden and firm to the touch but with a little give.
Remove from the tray straight away and place on a wire rack to cool
Ideally serve while still warm.
Perfect with jam & clotted/whipped cream
or as I've used here thick Greek Yoghurt
Cornish style......cream on top.......Devon Style jam on top......you choose
see below for more ideas....some are taken from my other page
Cheese & Walnut Scones find the recipe here Cheese & walnut scones
Banana & Toffee
Cheese & Chutney 
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I love sharing my recipes with you all...please feel free to comment ..it's great to get some feedback ♥