Favourite tea recipes - Part 1 - The scone
Scones are lovely things and should be served with extra thick clotted cream and some tasty jam. This is my favourite scone recipe and goes wonderfully with tea - and is pretty easy to make!
Cream Scones
(Bittman, Mark. How to cook everything p. 252)
2 cups flour (plus a bit as needed)
1 scant teaspoon salt (tiny bit more than 3/4)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cold butter (the cold part is important)
2 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream (I am sure you could use something lighter if you really wanted to)
This is the substitution part- the recipe calls for 1/3 cup dried currants or raisins - personally I hate raisins and currants in baking. The most popular option I have found so far is candied ginger. Make sure you dice the ginger into really really fine little chunks - the smaller the better since biting into a big piece of ginger isn't all that pleasant. Dried cranberries cut up a bit is also a nice option. You could put almost anything in at this stage - fresh fruit (may need a bit extra flour), chopped herbs, Spices (cinnamon etc.) chopped meat (reduce sugar to 1 teaspoon) The key is to add wet things with the wet ingredients and dry with the dry ingredients. Experimenting with flavour is really easy in this recipe.
On to the instructions!
1. Preheat oven to 450C
2. Mix all dry ingredients
3. Use pastry blender, food processor or your hands to cut butter into flour mix, try and get it thoroughly blended
4. Beat eggs and cream together
5. Combine egg mix into butter and flour mix with as few strokes as possible - this is one dough you don't want to overwork.
6. Stir in ginger (or other addition) with a couple more strokes
7. Turn onto floured surface and knead no more than 10 times, add a bit of extra flour if it is too sticky. It should be a bit sticky but not too wet
8. Roll to 3/4 inch and cut out 2 inch rounds (or slice into 2 inch squares)
8.5 If desired - Beat together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water, brush on tops of biscuits and then sprinkle with sugar
9. Bake 7-9 minutes
These don't last all that well so try not to make too many at once.
Whip up some cream and enjoy with a pot of tea.
(The ginger ones are especially good with Chai.)