What can be better than some lovely scones on a late afternoon . . . all short and buttery . . .
flakey and tender . . .
There are sweet scones, just perfect with jam or marmalade, and a nic ehot cuppa . . . and then there are savoury ones, just right for serving on their own, or with breakfast or lunch or supper on the side.
I like them both equally. Both are lovely . . . but how can you improve on perfection??? How indeed!!
By stogging some savoury scones full of cheese and then baking them, that's how!
Lovely savoury scones, with a bit of crunch from the polenta, but short and flakey and filled with Double Gloucester Cheese . . . oozing out when you bit into them . . . perfect with soups, or stews . . .
Chili Con Carne . . . salads, or even on their own. This is my best idea yet, I think! Very moreish!
*Cheese Filled Cornmeal Scones*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
Short and scrummy and stogged full of lovely oozing Double Gloucester Cheese!
7 ounces plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
2.5 ounces coarse polenta (1/2 cup cornmeal)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
3 ounces cold white vegetable shortening (Trex or Crisco)
125ml of whole milk
125ml of sour cream
4 ounces Double Gloucester Cheese, cut into 12 cubes (Can use Colby or Monterey Jack Cheese)
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Dust a baking sheet lightly with flour. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder. Whisk in the salt and cornmeal. Drop in the fat and rub it in lightly with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the Cayenne pepper and the onions. Beat together the sour cream and milk. Stir into the flour mixture with a fork, using only as much as you need to form a soft dough. (You may or may not need it all.) Do not overmix.
Dump onto the baking sheet and knead lightly about 10 times. Pat our into a 12 by 8 inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter for ease, or a sharp knife, cut the rectangle into 12 (4 by 2 inch) smaller rectangles. Place a cube of cheese about 3/4 of an inch from one short edge. Moisten the edges all around with water and then fold the dough over the cheese to form a 2 inch square. Firmly pinch the edges all the way around to enclose. Spread out on the baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until well risen and lightly browned. Serve warm. Store any leftovers, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
Note - You can reheat any leftover scones by wrapping in foil and heating in a 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4 oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
With just the right amount of fruit and spice . . .
Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder, allspice and cinnamon Stir in the orange peel, salt and sugar. Drop in the butter. Rub it in with your finger tips using a snapping motion until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the fruit. Whisk together the egg and cream. Stir this mixture into the with a fork until it starts to form a soft dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times until you have a smooth mixture. Pat the dough out to 1 inch thickness. Stamp into rounds using a 3 inch round cutter. Try not to twist the cutter or your scones will be lopsided. Sharp up and down tap will do the job nicely. Place evenly spaced apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with some cream and then bake the scones in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the icing for the crosses, whisk the icing ingredients together until smooth and thick. Spoon a cross onto each scone. Let stand to set the icing before serving. Delicious!
Todd enjoys his spread with a bit of butter. He can afford the calories. I cannot, but that's not a problem because they are tasty enough for me even without any butter! Bon Appetit!
I am awfully fond of scones. Even if I don't always know how to pronounce the word. Is it Sc-OWN or is it Sc-ON? I am not sure . . . about the only thing I AM sure of is, scones are delicious!
scone
skɒn,skəʊn/
noun noun: scone;
plural noun: scones a small unsweetened or lightly sweetened cake made from flour, fat, and milk and sometimes having added fruit.
That's the dictionary explanation of a scone . . . but what is a scone? Really?
I am of the strongest opinion that one can never have such a thing as too many biscuit recipes, and by biscuit I am talking North American Biscuits, not English Biscuits, which are cookies and something completely different.
Cheddar, Bacon & Chive Biscuits are fabulously tasty, light, flakey, peppery, stogged with rich strong cheddar and are beautiful served along side of savoury things like soups, stews, salads, etc.
I will go out on a limb here and tell you they are also kinda nice spread with butter and honey, only because I have done that and they were delicious, but then again, taste is a very individual thing is it not?
I had this huge discussion on my English Kitchen Facebook stage the other day with someone who was quite irate that in an English Kitchen I would be calling Scones Biscuits. I was calling what I had made Biscuits (The Yogurt ones) because they were Biscuits, NOT Scones!
I, personally, know the difference between a Biscuit and a Scone. I am well versed in the differences between the two. I am a trained Chef good golly cheese whiz. I have had experience living and cooking on both sides of the pond.
Today I will endeavour to enlighten you with what those differences are. What you do with this knowledge is up to you. 😊 I know, I am preaching to the choir here, but there may be some who don't know and this is for them.
Biscuits for the most part contain no sugar, although you will find the rare recipe which will include at least some. My mother-in-laws recipe has a TBS of sugar in it.
Generally speaking a scone recipe will have some sugar in it, maybe even copious amounts.
Biscuits are usually brushed with butter or milk. Scones usually have an egg wash. Scones, generally speaking, will also have he addition of eggs in the liquid used. (Not always however.) Are you confused yet?
Cheddar, Bacon & Chive Biscuits
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (280g) plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
- 3 slices of crisp cooked bacon, crumbled into bits
- 60g sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 TBS finely chopped chives.
- 3 ounces (85g) frozen butter (6 TBS)
- 7 fluid ounces (190ml)of buttermilk
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with some baking paper and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Stir in the cheese, chopped chives, bacon, pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
- Using the largest holes on a box grater, quickly grate the butter over top and mix in using a round bladed knife. Stir all together. Add the buttermilk and mix together. The dough will be somewhat sticky. Don't worry about that.
- Tip the dough out onto a floured board and knead lightly 3 or 4 times to bring it together. Pat out to a 1 1/2 inch thick round.
- Using a 2 1/2 to 3- inch sharp round cutter, stamp out rounds, using a straight up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter.
- Place spaced apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Serve warm with plenty of butter for spreading. Delicious!
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day and I thought I would gather as many of my Irish related recipes in one spot as possible so as to make it easy for you to find them. This is by no means all of them, but I do think that I am giving you a nice variety of them to choose from!
I suppose there are not too many people who cannot claim to have at least a small portion of Irish DNA in themselves, which gives most of us much to celebrate when it comes to Saint Patrick's Day. I had my DNA done several years ago with the end result that I was 27% Irish.
I would have to say that the Irish are some of the most wonderful and humble people you could ever want to know. Living in the UK, I was blessed to be able to call a few Irish people friends. You could not ask for a better friend. They are the cream of the crop.
Their food is also incredibly humble, what I would call country cooking. Straightforward and without pretense, homey fare based on unsophisticated yet delicious raw ingredients. That is what I love most about it. It is simple and wholesome food.
Aside from fresh seafood and shellfish, which you can enjoy in abundance in Ireland, dried fruit and potatoes figure massively in Irish cooking. A goodly portion of their breads, cakes and desserts make fabulous use of this. You won't see any of the shellfish on here as I am allergic to shellfish and typical Irish seafood is just not easy to come by here in Canada.
I do hope that you will enjoy the examples of recipes I have shared with you however. I know that I certainly have!
BREADS & SCONES
WHITE IRISH SODA BREAD (NON-FRUITED) - Quick, easy and very delicious, this is the white bread version of a non-yeasted Irish quick bread. You will see some versions containing dried fruit and you are certainly welcome to add some. Having said that, it is pretty tasty just on its own. I enjoy it sliced and spread with butter and jam or with soups, or stews for mopping up all that delicious gravy.
TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD - A simple classic bread in Irish households. This yeast free whole meal bread is perfect served with soups and stews, salads, etc. Its also pretty delicious served sliced and spread with butter and jam, marmalade and honey.
SMALL BATCH IRISH SODA BREAD - This is a small batch version of the traditional Irish soda bread, made for the smaller family to enjoy without having a lot of waste or leftovers. Every bit as delicious as the full batch.
BOXTY - This delicious potato bread/potato cakes is also known as Potato Farls. This is a very simple recipe and very authentic in its simplicity. Composed of only three ingredients. Potatoes, flour and salt. These are traditionally cooked on the stove top in a flat surfaced griddle pan. At one time they would have been baked on a grill pan over an open fire.
IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS - Small individual soda breads baked in a muffin tin. Loaded with plenty of dried currants and caraway seed. These are fabulously easy to make a incredibly tasty! Again, quick and easy to make, bake and eat!
IRISH TEA BRACK - A non yeasted heavily fruity bread. You begin the night before by soaking a quantity of dried fruit in Irish breakfast tea overnight. The next morning you add the remaining ingredients and bake. This is heavy, yet beautifully fruited bread that is fabulous thinly sliced, spread with butter and served up with copious amounts of hot tea.
TRADITIONAL IRISH BARMBRACK - A fruity yeasted bread that is traditionally enjoyed sliced and buttered. This makes for a fabulous tea time treat, or even a breakfast treat. Its delicious any time you choose to enjoy it.
IRISH HONEY SCONES - These lovely scones are filled with the nuttiness of whole wheat and are gently sweetened with honey. They are simple, but don't let that simplicity fool you into thinking these are nothing special.
SOUPS, STEWS & MAIN DISHES
BALNAMOON SKINK - A delicate Irish version of a delicate soup made with fresh vegetables, enriched and lightly thickened with a mixture of cream and egg. This makes great use of the early Spring Vegetables and is light enough that although satisfying, it leaves you with room for the main course.
SMALL BATCH IRISH STEW - A delicious lamb stew for the smaller family. Cubes of lamb are layered in a casserole with onions, carrots and seasonings, then topped with wedges of potato and covered with stock. Cover tightly, pop into the oven and then let the oven do the work. Quite simply delicious.
IRISH STEAK AND GUINNESS STEW - A hearty stew made with lean cubes of stewing steak, carrots, parsnips, turnips and onions, cooked in a delicious Guinness gravy until deliciously fork tender. Plan ahead as this takes a good 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cook, but then again the best things in life are worth waiting for.
IRISH HUNTER'S PIE - Buttery mash lines a pie dish that is filled with chunks of simmered lamb. The juices of the lamb are then made into a gravy which is poured through the top of the pie to moisten the filling, with any excess being served on the side. Simple vegetables accompany this tasty dish.
BOILED BACON AND CABBAGE - There is nothing out of the ordinary here . . . it's just simple imgredients . . . cured pork, a few vegetables, water . . . pepper. Cabbage.Simple ingredients put together in a simple way with extraordinarily delicious results! I made a mustard sauce to serve with it, and boiled new potatoes . . . but a parsley sauce is just as delicious.
CORNED BEEF WITH PARSLEY SAUCE - Tender slices of juicy perfectly cooked corned beef, served thinly sliced with a variety of fresh and tasty vegetables on the side and a deliciously lush and creamy parsley sauce!
DUBLIN CODDLE - A Coddle is a traditional Irish dish usually associated with the city of Dublin. Hearty and delicious it is a stew-type of dish created with good pork sausages, salty bacon, pearl barley, onions, potatoes and herbs.
POTATOES
CRUSHED NEW POTATO COLCANNON - There is something pretty wonderful that happens when you combine cabbage and potatoes and Ireland. Humble ingredients put together in a most delicious way, this is considered haute cuisine in many multiple Michelin star restaurants. In short this is a beautiful side dish well deserving to be served on any table!
TRADITIONAL IRISH CHAMP - Mashed potatoes with warm milk, spring onions and butter beaten into them. It's so tasty. The Irish know how to do potatoes and do them well!
PUDDINGS AND CAKES
IRISH WHISKEY AND GINGER CAKE - A dense and moist cake chock full of lovely ginger flavor! With the consistency of a pound cake, this cake is studded with plenty of candied ginger and loads of ginger flavor that really shines through.
IRISH MARMALADE CAKE - A sweet and moist marmalade flavored loaf studded throughout with sticky sweet sultanas. A delight when sliced, buttered and enjoyed with a nice refreshing hot drink.
IRISH BOILED FRUITCAKE - A plain cake, beautifully moist and stuffed with loads of fruit. Dried Currants and sultana raisins are boiled in a mixture of golden syrup and tea. A few other simple ingredients are added prior to baking in the oven to create a delicious moist and fruity cake that is a great keeper, and quite simply delicious.
IRISH BLAEBERRY PUDDING - A sweet blueberry/blaeberry/billberry fruity filling is topped with a light and delicious cake batter then baked to perfection. Delicious served warm and spooned out into bowls with a topping of cream, custard or ice cream.
IRISH APPLE CAKE - A delicious apple cake with a cake/scone base, topped with plenty of sliced apples. A topping of crumble is sprinkled on top prior to baking to perfection. Delicious served warm and sliced in wedges, along with lashings of warm custard.
BERRY BUTTERMILK COBBLER - Frozen fruit baked into a buttermilk batter, served up warm, with a simple custard flavored with Irish Cream. Not only is this simple to make, but also very quick. You can have everything ready to mix together ahead of time and just do the final mixing at the last minute so that it can bake while you are enjoying your main course.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH A BAILEY'S CHOCOLATE SAUCE - You will want to make the cake for this the day before. It needs several hours in the refrigerator to set up properly for cutting. (I like to leave it overnight.) It's rich and delicious. Top with a scoop of really good Vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of Bailey's Chocolate sauce for the perfect finish.
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