I grew up in the land of biscuits . . . no they were not cookie. Cookies are called biscuits over here in the UK)
Rather they were beautiful, flakey, and savoury (only very rarely sweet) quick breads quite similar in texture and flavour to what is called a scone over here.
Some might question the difference between a scone and biscuit. There has been a great deal of debate over this very topic. I would have to say as subtle as it is . . . it is there.
A scone will use butter and either cream or soured/plain milk, whereas in North America biscuits use either shortening or lard and buttermilk or plain milk, are less sweet and more savoury.
They can have things like cheese, bacon, onions/scallions and sometimes ham in them. Scones can have these things in them as well, although I would say that then they are more like biscuits than scones.
Does that make sense? I know, very confusing to say the least.
Another difference is in the way the fat is added. Here in the UK the fat is most always rubbed into the flour with the fingertips.
In North America it is "cut" in . . . using a pair of forks, two double bladed knives or a pastry blender.
Both benefit from using a light hand when preparing them. Both rise although I would have to say that Biscuits are usually flaky whilst scones have a more crumbly texture.
Biscuits are meant to be eaten hot or warm from the oven. Scones are almost always eaten cold.
I say Vive la difference! Both are beautiful and scrummy and moreishly delicious and both have their uses!
Today I baked some beautiful Black Pepper Biscuits.
I wanted to serve them with some good cheese and some of my latest batch of homemade Spicy Plum Chutney.
Oh my . . . they went down a real treat.
The biscuits were flakey, savoury and peppery, which went beautifully with the cheese and chutney. These would be great served with some smoked gammon or slices of crisp bacon as well . . . and cheese of course!
I think they would make great little chicken salad sandwiches and would also be a lovely host to egg mayonnaise!
Just look at that beautiful texture.
I just can't think of anything that wouldn't taste better sitting on top of one of these, split, buttered and warm from the oven, or a bowl of soup that wouldn't be enhanced by their presence! Enjoy!!
*Black Pepper Biscuits (Scones)
Makes 16 to 18 (2 inch) biscuits
Printable Recipe
Beautifully fluffy and peppery. Perfect to serve with chutney's, cheeses, salty meats (bacon, ham, proscuitto) or with hot soups and stews.
8 ounces plain flour (2 1/4 cups) divided
1 TBS Baking Powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 to 1 TBS freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces chilled vegetable shortening,
divided into 2 ounce lots (1/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
250ml of cold buttermilk (1 cup)
softened butter for brushing
Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet. Set aside.
Remove 8/10 of an ounce of flour (1/4 cup) and set aside. Whisk the remaining flour together in a large wide bowl with the baking powder, soda, salt and black pepper. Add half of the shortening in bits and then work it into the flour using a pastry blender, two forks or two round bladed knives. The mixture should look like well crumbled feta cheese. Scatter the remainder of the shortening over top in bits and continue to work in with your fingertips, until you have no pieces which are larger than a pea. Shake the bowl occasionally to move any bigger bits up from the bottom. Do not over work.
Make a deep hollow in the centre of this mixture and add about 3/4 of the buttermilk, reserving some for later if needed. Stir in with a fork, using broad strokes to quickly pull the flour into the milk. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Sprinkle the remaining flour onto a clean surface. Turn the dough out onto it and turn to lightly coat. Pat lightly into a round which is 1/2 inch in depth. Brush any visible flour off the top. Cut into 2 inch rounds with a round biscuit cutter, using a sharp tap up and down, remembering not to twist the cutter. (Twisting results in a lop-sided biscuit.) You can pull the scraps back together to cut out additional biscuits. They will not be quite as tender as the first ones, but good all the same. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving some space in between each.
Bake for 6 minutes in the upper third of the oven. Rotate the pan and bake for an additional 4 to 6 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with some softened butter. Serve hot.
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.
I picked up some beautiful little blueberries yesterday at my local shop that were quite tiny in size and for once they didn't come from Poland! Not that I am against Poland per se, but I do like to use British Ingredients whenever I can. These ones came from Surrey.
They were almost as small as the wild blueberries from back home and I knew just the perfect thing to make with them.
My delicious Blueberry scones.
They went down fabulous with this lovely green tea.
*Blueberry Scones with Lemon Drizzle Icing*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe
These lovely scones are tender and moist and oh so very delicious. Chock full of blueberries and covered with a lucious lemon drizzle icing these are pleasing on all levels. Use only fresh blueberries in these as frozen ones will bleed and spoil the look of this lovely scone.
225g plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS caster sugar
5 TBS cold, unsalted butter
250ml of double cream (1 cup plus 2 TBS)
8 ounces fresh blueberries, toss with 1 TBS flour (1/2 pound berries)
Lemon Drizzle:
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 cup)
280g of icing sugar, sifted (2 cups)
1 TBS unsalted butter
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Add the cold butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and dump in the cream all at once. Stir with a fork just to combine, without overworking the dough. You may need a bit more cream. The dough should be soft, but not sticky, nor crumbly. Fold in the blueberries, leaving any excess flour out. Gently mix them in without crushing them.
Pat the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12 by 3 1/2 inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Cut into 4 equal squares, and then cut each square diagonally into even triangles. You should have 8. Place onto a lightly greased baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool somewhat before glazing.
To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a microwave proof bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and stir to melt the sugar. Add the butter and place in the microwave. heat for 30 to 45 seconds on high. Whisk again to smooth out any lumps and then drizzle decoratively over the warm scones. Let set before serving. Delicious!!
Quite often by the time we get home from church on Sundays, it's far too late to cook much of a supper so we usually have something quick. I make it a habit now to cook what would normally have been our Sunday lunch on Saturday evenings, and we have leftovers for Sunday.
Some weeks we've been really busy on Saturday too, and so there are no leftovers to warm up. What to do . . . what to do . . .
You might be forgiven if you look at these as a North American and think right away, those are pancakes! Well, yes, they are very similar to pancakes, but in reality they are something known as Drop Scones, or as you get further up North . . . Scotch Pancakes.
In the olden days these would have been cooked on a solid metal griddle over an open fire. Today we are blessed to have lovely non-stick frying pans.
Blessings come in many guises. Like sweetly spiced, soft drop scones. These are particularly wonderful when you get home from church late on a Sunday afternoon and you are literally starving! Quick, easy and very, very tasty. What's a girl to do?
I decided to add a little Christmas warmth and spice to these with the grated rind of several oranges, a little mixed spice and the juice of the oranges.
They were delightful . . . especially with a bit of butter and golden syrup on top.
Sticky fingers never tasted so good . . . neither did Sundays . . . ☺
*Christmas Drop Scones*
Makes about 24
Printable Recipe
Serve these as soon as they are made with oodles of butter and golden syrup. If you can get the festive flavoured golden syrups so much the better, but really plain old golden syrup tastes just wonderful. If you do need to make these in advance, arrange them in a single layer on an ovenproof plate, cover tightly with some foil wrap and when ready re-heat in a 160*C/325*F oven for about 10 minutes.
2 large oranges
a little whole milk
6 ounces self raising flour (about 1 1/4 cups, 170g )
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 1/2 ounces golden caster sugar (3 1/2 TBS)
1 largefree range egg
oil for cooking
golden syrup and butter for serving
Grate the rind from the oranges and set aside. Squeeze the juice and put into a measuring jug. Add enough whole milk to measure up to 200ml. (200ml is the same as 7 fluid ounces, or 13 1/2 TBS) Set aside
Measure the flour into a bowl. Whisk together with the baking powder, mixed spice and caster sugar, combining well. Make a well in the centre of the flour and then add the egg and half of the orange juice mixture. Whisk together well to make a smooth thick batter, then wisk in enough of the remaining orange mixture to make a batter which has the consistency of thick cream.
Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease with a little bit of oil. Using a dessertspoon, drop spoonfuls onto the hot pan, spacing each about 2 inches apart. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip them over with a spatula and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds to one minute, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm with a clean tea towel over top, while you cook the rest.
Cook the remaining batter in the same way. Serve these lovely scones warm with butter and golden syrup for spreading. Delicious!
You are going to love these delicious cheese and oat scones. Not only are they very comfortable sitting down next to a hot bowl of soup, but they are equally as comfortable next to a plate of salad, or being slathered with butter and jam!
There is nothing I enjoy more than taking a traditional British baking idea and adding my own creative twist to it. Call me crazy, but . . . I get a whole lot of satisfaction out of this activity.
One of my favourite flavours over here has to be Bakewell anything . . . tarts, pudding . . . I think it's just fabulous.
Bakewell tarts are little shortcrust pastry tarts filled with jam and almond flavoured sponge. Topped with an almond fondant icing and a cherry, I even enjoy the cheap grocery shop versions.
Bakewell pudding traditionally has a flakey pastry base, covered with jam and an almond frangipane filling, and is exclusive to the Derbyshire town of Bakewell.
Call it what you will, I just love the elements of Bakewell . . tart, pudding . . . whatever. If you have almonds cherries and jam involved, I am there!
I have made the traditional Bakewell Tarts on here in the past, and then I have played with the flavours a bit more and created Bakewell Whoopie Pies. (Oh my but they were good, good . . . GOOD!) I even once baked a Raspberry Bakewell Cake from a recipe I found in BBC Good Food Magazine.
When we got home from church today I thought I would bake some scones and I thought to myself . . . hmmm . . . Bakewell Scones might be tasty!
Imagine it now . . . yummy sweet seedless raspberry preserves, sandwiched between two scone layers made all buttery and flakey with marzipan and butter having been rubbed in . . . with a touch of flaked coconut (not traditional I know) for some added texture, and then topped with an egg wash and flaked almonds. Baked until scrummily flakey and crisp on the bottom and top and then drizzled with an almond glaze and topped with a glace cherry half, I have only two words to describe these little delights.
Moreishly Moreish!!
Sooooooo scrummily yummy! I bet you can't stop at eating just one . . .
Sinful I know! But what a wonderfully wicked way to go! I think I have found a new weakness to add to the rest . . . sigh . . .
*Bakewell Scones*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe
Raspberry preserves sandwiched between two layers of a scrummy almond and coconut scone dough, topped with crunchy flaked almonds and then finally glazed with an almond glaze and topped with a glace cherry!
8 1/2 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
2 TBS caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 ounces flaked sweetened coconut (1/2 cup)
3 1/2 ounces marzipan, chilled (about 1/3 cup)
2 ounces chilled unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
100ml of milk (1/3 cup)
1 large free range egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 TBS seedless raspberry preserves
1 egg yolk, beaten together with 1/2 tsp water
3 TBS flaked almonds
To glaze:
2 ounces icing sugar
a few drops of almond extract
water
4 glace cherries halved
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*f/ gas mark 5. Lightly butter a baking sheet and set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and coconut together in a bowl. Cut the marzipan and butter into bits and drop them into the flour mixture. Rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk the whole egg, milk and extracts together. Add all at once to the flour mixture and stir in with a fork to make a soft dough. Divide in half and pat out 3/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Stamp into 8 rounds with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, gathering the scraps and repeating until you have 8 rounds. Place the 8 rounds on the baking sheet. Top each with 1/2 tsp of raspberry jam, keeping it in the centre. Pat out the remaining dough to the same thickness as the first lot and stamp out 8 more rounds, once again gathering the scraps and re patting. Place these rounds over top of the jam topped rounds, pressing gently around the edges to seal the jam inside. Brush the tops of each lightly with the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with flaked almonds, pressing them in gently.
Bake in the heated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until well risen and golden brown on the tops and bottoms. Remove from the oven to a wire rack.
Whisk together the icing sugar, almond extract and enough water to make a smooth drizzable glaze. Dribble this over the warm scones and top each with a cherry half.
Delicious served warm or cold. Store in a tightly covered container.
Afternoon Tea Week takes place this year from the 10th to the 16th of August and as a proper English Institution it's only right that afternoon tea should be conducted with only the best ingredients. The English Provender Co. has teamed up with Afternoon Tea Week this year to sponsor the tastiest week of the year for a week of activities, themed menus, exclusive offers and competitions.
In the end I decided to throw together a quick tea party and make some tasty Coronation Chicken Salad Tarts to serve. I quite like taking afternoon tea and I have had lots of experience at putting them together as I did many, many of them when I was living in the UK.
I am somewhat limited now as I just don't have the dishes and linens to use, but I thought it would be fun to show you just how quickly you can throw together a simple afternoon tea with minimal effort. Are you in? I hope so!
Then I added a small plate of some other sweet meats I happened to have in the house. An assortment of chocolate covered cookies/biscuits and some small tarts, jam, lemon curd and butter. None of the tarts was any larger than a mouthful, which is what you want.
Some other things you could have are small bite sized sausage rolls, or deviled eggs. You can have more than one kind of finger sandwich if you wanted to. Some suggestions are egg salad and cress, sliced tomato and cheese, and cheese and pickle.
- 3/4 pound (340g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup (165g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBS honey
- 1 TBS good quality mango chutney
- 1 1/2 - 2 tsp mild curry powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- The rounded cheek of 1/2 red apple, cut into 1//4 inch dice (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 TBS raisins, chopped
- 2 TBS chopped salted cashew nuts
- 2 TBS red onion, finely chopped
- 12 baked small tart shells (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
Some other Royal teatime treats that you might enjoy are:
VICTORIA SCONES - From the Bero Cookbook, these lovely scones have a beautiful texture and go together quickly. Said to be a favorite of Queen Victoria's, these scones are decorated with sweet candied cherries.
QUEEN CAKES - These little currant studded buttery cakes go beautifully with tea. They can be baked in heart shaped tins or in muffin tins. Flavored with lemon zest, these are lovely little cakes that everyone enjoys!
QUEEN OF HEARTS JAM TARTS - These little jam tarts with their pastry heart adornment are absolutely gorgeous. I am not surprised the Knave of Hearts wanted to steal them! They are delicious!
Coronation Chicken Salad Tarts
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound (340g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup (165g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBS honey
- 1 TBS good quality mango chutney
- 1 1/2 - 2 tsp mild curry powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- The rounded cheek of 1/2 red apple, cut into 1//4 inch dice (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 TBS raisins, chopped
- 2 TBS chopped salted cashew nuts
- 2 TBS red onion, finely chopped
- 12 baked small tart shells (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
Instructions
- To poach your chicken, place the chicken into a saucepan along with the stock, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cook at a low simmer until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside (about 10 to 15 minutes.) Remove the pan from the heat and leave the chicken to cool completely in the broth.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and chop finely. Place into a bowl.
- Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth, adjusting seasoning as required.
- Fold the dressing into the chicken along with the apple, raisins, nuts and onion. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.
- Cover and chill for an hour, or as long as overnight.
- To serve spoon the chicken salad into the baked tart shells and serve immediately.
Social Icons