Overview:
By: Antonia
Meal Type: Dessert, Breakfast, Afternoon Tea
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 9 scones
Perfect for picnic season, high tea, and as a savoury option for cream teas.
These deliciously moreish scones make a delightful change from sandwiches as part of a traditional British afternoon tea. They are at their best when fresh from the oven, split open and spread generously with butter but also good sandwiched with cream cheese and ham or chutney. They also make a great after-school snack for hungry children or accompaniment to a steaming bowl of soup in the cooler months of the year.
This recipe is the perfect fit for our fits on runners baking trayor our heavy duty baking tray
A handy recipe that has been scribed and tested by community member Antonia, who is a hard working mum with two boys. Her recipes are trialed in her much loved Aga range cooker and devoured by her family, allowing Antonia to provide accurate tips and advice on how to make the dishes a success! Go check her work out! She is a country girl, happily surrounded by an excitable Lab, her dear husband, two boys and the Cotswolds.
Ingredients:
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 50g salted butter (cold – straight from fridge
- 100g finely grated Cheddar, plus 20g extra for sprinkling on the top
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced
- 150ml cold milk
- 1 egg, beaten with a dash of milk
You may need...
- A grater & a knife
- A mixing bowl
- A large baking tray which fits on your runners
- A cold plain shelf
- A liner for your fits on runners tray
- 2 ¼ inch fluted biscuit cutter
Method:
1. Line the cold shelf or baking tray with a silicone baking sheet or greaseproof paper. Sieve the flour, baking powder and mustard powder into a large bowl and stir to ensure mustard powder is evenly distributed.
2. Cut the butter into small cubes and, working quickly, rub the butter into the flour mixture with the tips of the fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the grated cheddar and spring onions to the mixture and stir briefly to combine. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cold milk. Using a knife, draw the flour mix into the milk to bring together into a dough. Do not over-work – as soon as it starts to come together, stop!
4. Tip the dough gently onto a lightly-floured surface and bring together with your hands. Gently pat out into a thick disc, approximately 1 inch high.
5. Dip the cutter into a little flour and cut out the scones, without twisting the cutter. Place onto the prepared baking tray.You will probably need to pat the dough out again to get the final 3 but don’t be tempted to re-work the dough – scones look good with a rustic, homemade finish!
6. Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Slide the tray onto the 3rd set of runners in the roasting oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Tips for cooking these in your Aga range cooker from Antonia - "scones are easy and quick to make. The trick is to keep everything cool and handle the dough as little as possible. Keeping things cool in a kitchen can be a challenge – if possible, choose the work surface furthest from the Aga range cooker! I have hot hands so always rinse them under cold water before rubbing in the butter."
"Scones are best eaten on the day they are made. They do freeze well though – once defrosted, warm them up gently in the simmering oven for 20 minutes."