The Quintessential Scone

05.02.2008

I’ve just realized the enormity of the list of things I want to bake! That tiny wee column on the left is really just a lie - honestly it is a fraction, one one-hundredth the length of the actual thing. Bah, it’s frustrating! I’m sure you understand how I am feeling. That looming list, full of possibility - yet completely quixotic. Let’s be honest, who has the time (or ability... let alone freezer space) to bake ten thousand recipes a week!! I don’t that’s for sure. And what with school coming to an end, cramming down for exams, I hardly have anytime for anything at all (which you might have noticed from the lack of regular posting). My problem seems to be the fact that I bookmark every single recipe that strikes my fancy, and as I’m sure many of you do, I surf my blogs quite regularly - daily, really, and the quantity and quality of the recipes (and photography...I’m a bit of a softy for beautiful visuals) is mind boggling!

Ok, I’ll stop venting my frustration of being tempted by so many fantastic recipes and being able to bake them all (at once...)!

On to the scones.

I am always searching for the ultimate scone recipe, maybe it is because I’m Scottish ( and therefor “If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap...” lame, I know - but just imagine a burly scottish accent, or better yet, my granny, completely dead-serious!) As I was saying, before my inner geek took over, scones have always been something of an illustrious idea to me, but that is where it stops, an idea. I have simply never been able to recreate that perfect, tea-awaiting, buttery, soft, well - brilliant, scone. Until now!!

Exciting, right! Huge props to my brother - of course - who surreptitiously weaseled the recipe out of the head-baker at his restaurant! Yes, and now I’m about to share this delicious recipe with you. Lucky, I know. They are just to fantabulous, and so with that give you The Quintessential Scone.

By the By: they were hugely successful at my house, gone within oh- an hour, honest! Ok I made a third of the recipe, but with two people that still balances to a fair bit of scone per person. Also these are signature at the restaurant, and always show up in a thousand different flavour variations (I stuck to the original, mostly because I was short on time and ingredients!). Caramel-Apple, Current, Triple-Berry, Maple-Walnut, Dark-Chocolate-Cherry and Orange-Coconut are some of the more popular combinations, but ANYTHING will work - as long as it appeals to you!

*quick note*

I meant to post this LAST friday, that obviously did not happen and what with the crazy hectic week I had it is a miracle it is up at all! Hope you all enjoy nonetheless !

The Quintessential Scone

3 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup butter, cold

3 eggs

3/4 whipping cream (though I used milk, to great success!)

3/4 cup dry flavour (anything you want ex: currants, coconut, walnuts... or nothing at all)

Preheat oven to 325℉.

In a medium sized bowl stir together flour, sugar and baking powder. Rub in cold butter. Add your flavourings (or not) and stir to combine.

Lightly beat eggs and whipping cream together. Pour wet ingredients into dry and lightly toss together until a dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 8-10 times. Form a log and cut into 7 triangles - if you want really big ones, I prefer palm sized scones so I got 15 scones out of this recipe.

Place scones on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flip tray around and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden.

Let cool slightly - I said slightly - because realistically who waits?! Though careful not to burn yourself. Also really delicious with raspberry butter - which is incidentally is exceedingly easy to make.

Raspberry Butter

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp raspberry jam (or your favourite jelly, jam, preserve)

Hang on, this is the tricky bit.

Mix them together!

Really, this did not require a recipe - but there you are, I did it anyways (rebel, I know)

Oh, I forgot one thing, you can chill it before serving if you want to. Or roll it in cling film and voilà, a raspberry butter ball ready for entertaining!