Simple Scones Recipe

Scones are well-known and popular treat for accompanying a cup of tea or coffee. They are quick breads per se. All you have to do is to mix all the ingredients,then pop them in an oven for about 15 minutes. I like to have warm scones with a bit crusty outside, a bit soft inside, served with my favourite jam and cream. The original West England version uses clotted cream, yet I found whipped cream also does very well.

Simple Scones Recipe (Printable recipe)
By Christine's Recipes
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Yield: Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 180 gm self-raising flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 20 gm butter, cubed
• 105 ml milk

Method:

• Preheat oven to 220C/425F.
• Sift flour and salt into a food processor or a bowl. Add the butter and process a few seconds. (If not using a food processor, rub in butter with your fingertips in quick motion.)
• Add about 100ml of milk and pulse the food processor for a few seconds. (Note: Don’t stir too long, otherwise gluten generated inside the flour will make the scones turn hard.) Turn onto a clean, floured surface. Lightly knead by hands into a dough. Add remaining milk only if necessary to mix to a soft dough.
• Use a rolling pin to roll out into a round 2cm thick and cut into 5cm dough discs with a cookie cutter. Place the dough discs on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush tops with a little milk and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until well risen and lightly brown. Remove from oven. Let them cool for a while on a wire rack. Serve warm with favourite jam and cream. Enjoy!

To make best scones, here are two simple tips:

• Use fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Butter will give the scones a tender texture and add more flavour. A food processor can bring a better result as you don’t need to worry about that the warmth of your hands will melt the butter along the way of incorporating the butter and flour. So, using a food processor is quick and handy. After adding the milk, don’t stir too long because you don’t want to generate gluten and harden your scones.
• By the same token, when kneading all the ingredients into a soft dough, don’t knead too long either.