Basicscones Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the self-raising flour into a large bowl with ¼ tsp salt and the baking powder, then mix.
• Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the caster sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
• Put a baking tray in the oven. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first.
• Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep. Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to refresh.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Separate egg, placing egg white in a cup and the yolk in a small bowl. With a fork, beat egg yolk and stir in cream. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients and mix together lightly with a fork until mixture clings together and forms a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently 5 or 6 times. Divide dough in half. With a lightly floured rolling pin or your hands, roll each dough half into a 7-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges.
• Place scones on prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Beat reserved egg white and brush on scones. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake scones 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. (To reheat frozen scones, place on baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes.).
• Variations.
• Dried Fruit Scones: Add 1/2 cup dried cherries, raisins, currants, or nuts after butter is cut in and before adding cream.
• Marble Scones: In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave four 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate on medium for 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is just melted. Stir in 2 tablespoons light corn syrup. Gently knead mixture into dough to create marbled effect.
• Maple Walnut Scones: Toast 1 cup walnut halves; add to dough before cream is stirred inches Continue with recipe. Whisk together 2 egg yolks, 1/3 cup cream, and 2 Tablespoons maple extract and brush on top of scones. Sprinkle with sugar.
• Yields: 12 large wedges.

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 425 F or 220 degrees C.
• In a bowl, mix the flour and salt together.
• Rub in the butter with your fingertips until no lumps are left and the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar and baking powder.
• Add the milk a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to stick together.
• Using one hand, pull the mixture together into a ball and plop onto a floured surface.
• Knead lightly to form a smooth ball.
• Place on a plate and let the dough rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Roll out onto a floured surface until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
• Use a round cookie cutter or a drinking glass, dipped in flour, to cut the dough into circles 2-1/2 to 3 inches across.
• When you lift the cutter from the dough, be careful not to twist it!
• This is important.
• If you twist, you will twist the gluten in the dough and make it hard for the scones to rise straight up when they are baking.
• Place the scones on a baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg.
• Be careful only to brush the top, don't let the wash drip down the sides of the scones.
• Bake for about 10 minutes until golden and well risen.
• Remove to a cooling tray.
• Serve warm with butter or cool, topped with fresh strawberries for a special summer treat.

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
• Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
• Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Fit food processor with steel blade. Place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in work bowl. Pulse on/off to mix. Add butter; process 10 seconds or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to large bowl.
• Combine heavy cream and eggs; reserve 1 tablespoon. Pour remaining cream mixture over flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is soft.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape into ball; pat into 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Brush reserved cream mixture over tops; sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• Chocolate Lavender Scones: Add 1 teaspoon dried lavender to dry ingredients. Stir 1/2 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate into dough before shaping.
• Ginger Peach Scones: Stir 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger and 1/3 cup chopped dried peaches into dough before shaping.
• Lemon Poppyseed Scones: Stir grated peel of 1 lemon (about 3-1/2 teaspoons) and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds into dough before shaping. Omit coarse sugar topping. When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle with lemon icing made from 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (add up to 1-1/2 teaspoons more lemon juice, if necessary, for desired consistency).
• Maple Pecan Scones: Stir 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans into dough before shaping. Omit coarse sugar topping. When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle with maple icing made from 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
• Mini Scones: Divide dough into 2 balls before shaping into rounds and cutting into wedges. Makes 16
• Round Scones: Cut dough into rounds using lightly floured cookie or biscuit cutter.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
• Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and enough milk to mix to a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly and roll out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with milk to glaze.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter or clotted cream and jam.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Add the butter, cut into small pieces and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Tip in the buttermilk and mix lightly and quickly to form a soft dough. Knead very briefly, then roll out to 2cm thickness and cut into sixteen 5cm rounds.
• Put on a baking sheet (no need to grease) a little apart, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until risen and pale golden.

Steps:

• Combine dry ingredients; cut in butter till crumbly. Stir in whatever you like -- blueberries, cranberries, orange or lemon zest, candied ginger, chocolate chips, etc. Add milk and stir just until moistened. Turn out on floured board, flour hands and knead 10-15 times and pat/roll into 3/4" thick round shape. Cut into wedges and place on baking sheet (greased or parchment). Leave a little space in between as they poof up a bit. Bake at 400 deg F for 18-22 minutes (15-16 is enough in my oven). You can sprinkle with sugar before baking, or after baking can drizzle with powdered sugar glaze, etc. Very versatile!

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave on low heat.
• Sift, measure and then place the flour in a large bowl.
• Add the baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Beat the egg well in a small bowl.
• Add the milk, vanilla and melted butter and mix thoroughly.
• Put the above wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients.
• Stir just until the flour mixture is moistened.
• Fill greased muffin tins 1/2 to 2/3 full.
• Bake at 400 F or 200 C for 20-25 minutes.
• The muffins should be golden brown in colour and spring back when touched.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F / 230°C / gas 8 and lightly grease a baking tray.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar. Add all the milk and mix lightly into a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead briefly. Do not overwork the dough or your scones will be tough!
• Roll the dough out to 1.25cm / 1/2 in thickness and cut out rounds.
• Place on the greased baking tray. Brush the tops with beaten egg and bake for 7-10 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack!