Showing posts with label Irish food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irish food. Show all posts
There’s something wonderfully comforting about a classic Irish scone — simple ingredients, quick to mix, and always welcome alongside a hot cup of tea. These Irish Short Scones are everything a good scone should be: tender, lightly sweet, and beautifully crumbly, with that rustic homemade charm that makes them feel extra special.
They come together in minutes, making them perfect for last‑minute guests, cozy weekend baking, or those quiet moments when you just want a warm treat fresh from the oven. Split them open while they’re still warm and add butter, jam, or a spoonful of cream… pure comfort in every bite.
If you love traditional recipes that are easy, reliable, and deeply satisfying, these scones are sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
Every year I try to make or bake something new for Saint Patrick's Day. This recipe I am sharing today for Short Scones comes from a book I have entitled Homemade, Irresistible recipes for every occasion by Clodagh McKenna who is an Irish chef/cook. It is one of the few cookbooks I deigned to bring back with me from the U.K. and I am glad that I did. I was under the misconception that I would be able to replace most of my books here, but that just hasn't been true for them all. In any case, this is an excellent book with lots of recipes that I use again and again. It is full of little post-it tags of recipes I enjoy.
I had flagged these scones quite some time ago and only just now got around to baking them. They were said to be halfway between a scone and a shortbread biscuit. I am not sure that is entirely true, but I can tell you they are pretty darned good scones. Light and crumbly with a beautiful short and buttery texture. They would not lend themselves well to adding fruit of any kind, but no worry there as they are pretty darned delicious just as they are.
Eileen and I each scarfed down two of them once they cooled with lashings of clotted cream, butter and strawberry jam. Yes. we did make pigs of ourselves. I keep telling her she is a bad influence on me, but really I think it's the other way around! 😂😂😂
In any case these are really delicious. If you are looking for something tasty to enjoy along with your afternoon tea, then you cannot go too far wrong with these delicious, short and buttery scones! (I bought my clotted cream from Blighty's. You get four small pots for $15.49. A bit pricey but they were meant to be a once in a blue moon treat.)
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE IRISH SHORT SCONES
There is nothing extraordinary here or complicated. Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way.
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) finely granulated sugar
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 5/8 cup (130g) ice cold salted butter (1/2 cup plus 2 TBS)
- 1 large egg beaten, plus a little bit extra for brushing
- scant 1/2 cup (1/2 cup less 2 TBS) (100ml) single cream (half and half)
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Do not use self rising flour. Use a good quality plain flour that is meant for baking. I used an organic flour that I buy online from Arva Mills here in Canada. I buy the Daisy Hard White Unbleached and it is excellent for baked goods.
In the U.K. you would use caster sugar which is lovely and fine for baking. You can use regular granulated sugar here in North America as ours is not as coarse as it is in the U.K. but if you are worried you can blitz it finer in a food processor. I use Kirkland organic sugar.
Check your baking powder for freshness. Slip some into a cup and add some hot/boiling water. If it fizzes your baking powder is fine.
Since there is no salt in the recipe do use salted butter to give the scones a better flavor. Alternately you could use unsalted and add a pinch of salt to keep them from tasting too fresh.
DO MAKE SURE YOUR BUTTER IS REALLY COLD.
I buy my eggs from a chicken farm. They are free range and organic. They also cost much less than the ones from the shops.
We don't have single cream here so I used half and half coffee cream. One thing I really miss about the U.K. is their dairy products. They were exemplary. Butter, cream, milk, eggs. All amazing.
HOW TO MAKE IRISH SHORT SCONES
Not at all difficult so long as you follow the ingredients, measurements and directions succinctly. You can't go wrong.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar. (I like to whisk it in with a wire whisk. Sugar is usually whisked into the flour separately and not creamed in with the fats when making scones.)
- Grate in the cold butter and mix together with a fork until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs. (Make sure your butter is really cold and toss it with the flour as you grated it in to help keep the pieces separate so they don't clump together. Alternately you can use a food processor to cut the butter in.)
- Whisk the cream and the egg together. (I do this in a separate beaker.)
- Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Stir together with a fork until you have a claggy mixture. It will be slightly damp and not dry. (It shouldn't be too sticky or unmanageable.)
- Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to bring the dough together. Pat out to 1/2 inch thick. (Don't overhandle the dough.)
- Using a 3 inch round metal cookie cutter, stamp out 8 rounds. (Use a sharp up and down motion without twisting the cutter.)
- Place onto a baking sheet which has been lined with baking parchment. Leave plenty of space around them. Brush the tops with some beaten egg or milk.(I prefer egg. You can always use the remainder of the egg to make some scrambled eggs, etc.)
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the scones for 1 hour. (This chill time is important and will give you a higher rise.)
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7.
- Remove the scones from the refrigerator and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until light golden brown. (Place them straight from the refrigerator into the hot oven.)
- Leave to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes then lift off to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Serve split and spread with butter, clotted cream and jam, along with copious amounts of tea. Enjoy! (We enjoyed them at room temperature with some butter, clotted cream and strawberry jam and were in scone heaven.)
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT SCONES
If you follow my hints and tips, you cannot go wrong! I promise you scone success every time! The perfect scone is crisp and almost caramelized on the outsides, and tender and buttery inside. These hints and tips apply to most scone recipes, both savory and sweet!
1. Always use cold butter, or even frozen butter. This will give your scone a much better rise. As the scones bake the cold butter, melts and creates lovely buttery air pockets.
2. Never overwork the dough. Use as light a touch as possible. Overworking the dough toughens the scone. This is the same for biscuits as well. If using a cutter do not twist the cutter when you cut or you will end up with lopsided scones.
3. If you have enough time, it is helpful to chill the scones for about 10 minutes prior to baking them. Although not specifically necessary this will help to relax the gluten in the flour somewhat and give a nice tender texture and also ensures that your butter stays nice and cold.
4. For crisp sides leave at least two inches of space between each scone. For softer sides, crowd them closer together. Personally, I like crisp sides.
5. If using fresh fruit in scones, try not to use fruit that it too juicy. This will mess with the integrity of your bake if the fruit is too wet. Rinse and dry it really well prior to using it. I like to use paper towels. Also if using loose frozen fruit, use it frozen. Do not thaw it out first.
6. Don't overbake the scones. Overbaking will make them really dry. Scones are done with they are a light golden brown on the bottom. If you are in doubt, break one open. They should not appear doughy or wet inside. They should be slightly moist and tender.
IS IT SC-ON OR SC-OWN?
There has been much debate through the years on the proper pronunciation of the word, and sometimes very heated. I think wars have been fought over less. Even the late Queen weighed in on the matter. The simple fact is neither is wrong and has more to say about where you are from than anything else. A rose by any other name and all that, what does it matter. They are delicious either way!
Scones are closer to a pastry than a bread. They contain no yeast and are put together in a very similar way, with almost identical ingredients. What differs is the ratio of fat to flour, with pastry using more. Also Scones will use either a leavening such as baking powder or self-raising flour, whereas typically a pastry will use none.
ARE SCONES AND AMERICAN BISCUITS THE SAME THING?
They might look very similar, but that is where it ends. Tall, flaky and golden brown, they are both made with flour, fat, a leavening agent and a liquid. The two have very similar ingredients, but vary in ratios of ingredients and mix ins. Biscuits have an extra fattiness which helps to create nice flaky layers. Scones are a bit sturdier and sweeter by and large. Both are delicious, so why quibble.
A FEW MORE SCONE RECIPES TO ENJOY
Scones are one of my favorite things to bake and to eat. Here are a few other recipes which you might also enjoy!
CHERRY & VANILLA SCONES - Charmingly old‑fashioned yet wonderfully simple — the sort of treat you’d expect to find in a National Trust tearoom, served warm with a pat of butter and a pot of tea. Made with self‑raising flour, cold butter, milk, and a generous splash of vanilla, they bake up light, tender, and beautifully crumbly. There is an abundance of glacé cherries tucked throughout the dough. Each bite brings a pop of sweetness against the soft, vanilla‑scented crumb. They’re sturdy enough to split and spread with butter, yet delicate enough to enjoy just as they are — warm from the oven or cooled on the counter.
CARROT CAKE DROP SCONES - These Carrot Cake Drop Scones are everything you love about a classic carrot cake, wrapped up in a warm, buttery, crumbly scone. Each one is flecked with finely grated carrot, dotted with sweet golden raisins, and gently spiced. Because they’re drop scones, there’s no fussing with cutters — just soft, rustic dollops of dough that bake into golden, craggy beauties with plenty of character. A sweet, lightly spiced glaze drizzled over the top melts into all the little nooks and crannies, giving each scone a glossy finish and an extra touch of indulgence. Dense, flavorful, and wonderfully homey.
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Yield: Makes 8
Irish Short Scones
Prep time: 1 H & 15 MCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 1 H & 35 M
Said to be halfway between a scone and a shortbread. These taste divine with some clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) finely granulated sugar
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 5/8 cup (130g) ice cold salted butter (1/2 cup plus 2 TBS)
- 1 large egg beaten, plus a little bit extra for brushing
- scant 1/2 cup (1/2 cup less 2 TBS) (100ml) single cream (half and half)
Instructions
- Sift the flour with the baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar
- Grate in the cold butter and mix together with a fork until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs.
- Whisk the cream and the egg together.
- Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Stir together with a fork until you have a claggy mixture. It will be slightly damp and not dry.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to bring the dough together. Pat out to 1/2 inch thick.
- Using a 3 inch round metal cookie cutter, stamp out 8 rounds.
- Place onto a baking sheet which has been lined with baking parchment. Leave plenty of space around them. Brush the tops with some beaten egg or milk.(I prefer egg. You can always use the remainder of the egg to make some scrambled eggs, etc.)
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the scones for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7.
- Remove the scones from the refrigerator and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until light golden brown.
- Leave to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes then lift off to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Serve split and spread with butter, clotted cream and jam, along with copious amounts of tea. Enjoy!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted without permission. Anyone who does so will be prosecuted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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If you’re looking for a traditional Irish dessert that’s simple, rustic, and absolutely bursting with apple flavor, this Irish Apple Cake is a beautiful place to start. Often served with warm custard and made with everyday ingredients, it’s the kind of old‑fashioned bake that feels both comforting and timeless.
Tender slices of apple are folded into a lightly spiced batter, creating a cake that’s soft, moist, and perfect for afternoon tea or a cozy family dessert. Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or just craving a classic homemade treat, this authentic Irish recipe brings a taste of Ireland straight to your kitchen.
This is a beautiful cake to make for dessert for Saint Patrick's Day, or anytime really. The cake itself is soft and beautiful with a lovely crumb. The apples add just the right amount of sweet tartness and that crumble topping is to die for.
The batter is created by rubbing the butter into the flour, almost like you are making a scone batter. The end result is a lot damper than a scone however. You will be able to press it into the bottom and up the sides of your cake tin, so it is not as loose as a regular cake batter.
You want to use an apple that will hold it's shape and not fall to mush when it is cooked. Granny Smith are a great choice and have a lovely sweet/tart flavor.
This makes for a beautiful dessert anytime, but it is particularly nice to serve on Saint Patrick's Day. The Irish are not fancy people and this humble dessert is a tribute to that. Humble doesn't mean that it isn't delicious however. This is one very tasty cake that the whole family will enjoy!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
IRISH APPLE CAKE
There are three distinct layers to this cake, each one with it's own individual ingredients.
For the cake base:
- 2 1/2 cups (280g) self raising flour
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
For the filling:
- 2 cooking apples, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 1/2 TBS (60g) soft light brown sugar
For the streusel Topping:
- 3/4 cup (105 g) plain flour
- 1/4 cup (20g) old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 6 TBS butter, cut into bits
You will also need: (optional)
- Icing sugar to dust
- warm custard to serve or a scoop of ice cream
INGREDIENTS NOTES
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour required. In this case you would need to add 3 3/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
I use salted butter. No need to buy in any specialty butters for this.
Caster sugar is a fine textures granulated sugar. You can make your own by blitzing regular sugar in a food processor to grind it down a bit. It will only take a few pulses. It has a great melting property and melts into the batter without leaving a granular texture.
Granny Smith apples are ideal, but you can use any cooking apple or a mix of cooking and eating apples. Make sure you cut the apple slices fairly thin so that they cook through in the bake time allotted.
Do not use instant or quick oats for the topping.
You can use a mix of half soft light brown sugar and white sugar for the streusel topping to give a more caramel-like flavor.
HOW TO MAKE IRISH APPLE CAKE
This cake is very simple to make. It is almost a cake type of pie, with a distinct base and sides, juicy apple filling and crisp and moreish streusel topping.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a deep flan tin, with a loose bottom, roughly 9 inches in diameter. Set aside. (Mine has fluted sides. A spring form pan also works very well.)
- Make the Streusel. Measure the flour and oats and sugar into a bowl. Stir in the cinnamon. Drop in the butter. Rub together with your fingers until it clumps together and you have a crumble mixture. (I like to use a fork to do this so that the butter doesn't melt. You can also do this in a food processor, stirring in the oats after the crumbs are created.)
- Place the flour and butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips to form a breadcrumb texture. Stir in the sugar. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix together with a round bladed knife. If the dough seems a bit too sticky add a bit more flour. You want a soft dough. (If the dough is too sticky you won't be able to press it into the pan properly.)
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan, making it higher around the edges, about 1 inch into the center with a hollowed out space to put the apples. Spread the apple slices evenly over the center of the base. Press them down lightly. (Don't compact them too much.)
- Sprinkle with the soft light brown sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle the streusel over top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
- Let stand in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing the sides. (This helps to ensure the cake has set up properly and won't collapse.)
- Place the tin on top of a jar and push the sides of the pan down and remove. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool to warm. Dust with icing sugar before cutting into wedges to serve, with or without ice cream or custard.
I HAVE A LOVELY CUSTARD RECIPE HERE.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR A BETTER CAKE
- Read through the recipe thoroughly prior to beginning to help familiarize you with anything needed.
- Assemble all of your ingredients together prior to starting. This can help to prevent you from leaving anything important out by accident.
- Have all of your ingredients at room temperature, with the exception of the butter for the streusel, prior to beginning.
- Cut the butter into the streusel topping with a fork to help prevent your hands from warming up the mixture too much. Stir in the oats last. Alternately you can cut the butter in using a food processor. Again, stir the oats in last.
- For a more developed flavor combine sweet and tart apples for the filling. This will add depth and interest to the taste.
- For extra crunch and nutty flavors you can add a small amount of chopped toasted nuts to the streusel topping. Almonds, pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts all work well.
- I advise using a spring form pan or a pan with a removable bottom for baking this cake. This will make removing the cake from the tin much easier. Alternately you can create a sling using parchment paper that can help you to lift it out.
HOW TO STORE IRISH APPLE CAKE
This cake is best kept stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. There is nothing in it that is required to be kept refrigerated and the texture is much better at room temperature.
If you do happen to leave in a very warm or humid country, then it is best to keep it refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature prior to serving, however.
A FEW OTHER IRISH BAKES TO ENJOY
If you are looking for Irish baking recipes to enjoy for Saint Patrick's Day or anytime really, here are some that we really love to bake and to eat!
IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS - These tasty muffins capture everything we love about traditional soda bread—its rustic charm, its tender crumb, its cozy, homey flavor—but in a quick, easy, muffin‑tin format that bakes up beautifully in just 20 minutes. Made with a mix of white and whole‑wheat flours, plenty of plump currants, and just a whisper of caraway, each muffin has those gorgeous crisp crags and crannies that make soda bread so irresistible. They’re perfect split warm and spread with butter and jam, served alongside a hot cuppa, or tucked into a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast.
IRISH WHISKEY & GINGER CAKE - This delicious cake is everything a good farmhouse bake should be: dense, moist, deeply aromatic, and absolutely packed with ginger in every form. With both ground ginger and generous jewels of crystallized ginger—most of it soaked in warm Irish whiskey before being folded into the batter—this cake delivers a proper ginger “whammy” that warms you from the inside out. This is a true larder cake —the kind that keeps well for days, grows even better as it rests. Rustic, simple, and full of character, it’s a lovely way to celebrate Irish heritage or bring a bit of St. Patrick’s Day warmth into your kitchen any time of year.
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Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Irish Apple Cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 50 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
A delicious version of an apple cake, baked with tasty apple slices sandwiched in the center. Serve warm with or without custard.
Ingredients
For the cake base:
- 2 1/2 cups (280g) self raising flour
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
For the filling:
- 2 cooking apples, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 1/2 TBS (60g) soft light brown sugar
For the streusel Topping:
- 3/4 cup (105 g) plain flour
- 1/4 cup (20g) old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 6 TBS butter, cut into bits
You will also need: (optional)
- Icing sugar to dust
- warm custard to serve or a scoop of ice cream
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a deep flan tin, with a loose bottom, roughly 9 inches in diameter. Set aside.
- Make the Streusel. Measure the flour and oats and sugar into a bowl. Stir in the cinnamon. Drop in the butter. Rub together with your fingers until it clumps together and you have a crumble mixture.
- Place the flour and butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips to form a breadcrumb texture. Stir in the sugar. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix together with a round bladed knife. If the dough seems a bit too sticky add a bit more flour. You want a soft dough.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan, making it higher around the edges, about 1 inch into the center with a hollowed out space to put the apples. Spread the apple slices evenly over the center of the base. Press them down lightly.
- Sprinkle with the soft light brown sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle the streusel over top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
- Let stand in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing the sides.
- Place the tin on top of a jar and push the sides of the pan down and remove. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool to warm. Dust with icing sugar before cutting into wedges to serve, with or without ice cream or custard.
Notes
Make Your Own Self Raising Flour:
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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