I like to think of scones as the delicious, and slightly more sophisticated, ancestor of the North American Baking Powder Biscuit. After all the English have been making scones ever since the 16th century and . . . well . . . America was still pretty much a wilderness at that point.



Although they may have a somewhat similar appearance, the two are actually quite different.



Scones are much taller and lighter in texture, and somewhat sweeter. A true scone, in fact, should look a bit craggy! Kind of like an elderly Great Uncle . . .



Scones generally use less fat and the fat used is rarely chilled, meaning that the consistency of the rubbed flour is more crumbly than mealy, quite unlike their biscuit counterpart . . .



Hot from the oven, Scones are one of the most delicious breads invented by mankind. Served split and buttered and spread with cold preserves, there is no finer teatime treat on earth.



I like to think of these tasty Date and Lemon Scones as the ultimate Tea Scone . . . Rich and chock full of lovely bits of date . . . with the merest hint of lemon in their fragrance and just a whisper of it in their flavour . . .



I wanted to serve them with some lemon curd, but didn't have any to hand . . . Greengage Preserves had to do in it's place.



We were not disappointed.



*Date and Lemon Scones*
Makes about 12
Printable Recipe

Silky soft and rich, these scones are studded with dates and a delightful whisper of lemon.

100ml of double cream
2 large free range eggs
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS freshly grated lemon rind (I always use unwaxed lemons)
245g of plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
2 TBS caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
85g of finely chopped pitted dates (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk the cream and eggs together in a small bowl. Remove and reserve 1 TBS of the mixture for later. Whisk iin the lemon juice and the lemon zest.

Sift the flour into a bowl and whisk in the baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir in the dates and add the liquid mixture all at once, stirring only until a soft dough forms.

Tip out onto a floured surface and knead lightly about 8 times. Pat out about 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch cutter, giving the cutter a sharp tap in an up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter or you will have lopsided scones. Pat the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheet leaving about 1/2 inch between them. Brush the tops with the reserved cream mixture, making sure that none drips down the sides.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with butter and or preserves if desired.

I'm always on the lookout for a new scone recipe. We do love our scones in this house, to say the least.



They make a nice snack for supper in the evening with a hot drink whilst watching a bit of something on the telly . . . I always keep some done up in the freezer, just waiting for that unexpected company to drop in . . .




We quite often have them on Sunday afternoons. I don't really do a big Sunday Lunch these days, not with church and all . . . we just have what I can rustle up when we get in from church and then I bake us a treat for later on . . . like scones.



This recipe comes from the Australian Women's Weekly Afternoon Tea book. I love the Australian Women's weekly books. They always have nice recipes in them.



I have been wanting to make these for a while now and finally got around to it today. The raisins are my own addition, as is the candied ginger on top. In truth, I don't think I would go to the trouble of adding the raisins again . . . they didn't really add much. The ginger on top though is great! The scones are light and crumbly and that lemon glaze is just the ticket!



They went down a real treat with some hot lemon and ginger tea. A real treat! So good in fact that I might have another one when I get off of here.



Don't they say feed a fever, starve a cold? Or is it the other way around. Me? I'm not taking any chances. I'm not starving anything! (just in case.)



*Gingerbread Scones with a Lemon Glaze*
Makes about 16
Printable Recipe

Delicious scones, with a tender crumb, and a bit of a snap! The raisins are optional. So is the chopped candied ginger on top. Fabulous!

1 ounce butter, softened
55g of soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, firmly packed)
1 large free range egg yolk
375g self raising flour (2 1/2 cups)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
250ml of buttermilk (1 cup)
2 TBS treacle or golden syrup (can use molasses)
a handful of raisins (optional)
Additional buttermilk for tops

For the Lemon Glaze:
160g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
1/2 ounce of butter, melted
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (more if needed)
To decorate some chopped candied ginger or lemon zest(optional)

Preheat the oven to 220*C.425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a 9 inch square cake tin. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and egg yolk until light and fluffy, in a large bowl. Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix together the buttermilk and the syrup. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ,mixture along with the buttermilk mixture. Use a knife to cut the buttermilk mixture through the flour to make a soft and sticky dough. (If using raisins add them now.) Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Pat out into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut with a sharp round 2 inch cutter, tapping straight down and up. Place the rounds into the baking pan, just barely touching. Gently knead the scraps and repeat until all are used. Brush the scones with some additonal buttermilk.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Whisk together the ingredients for the lemon glaze until you have a smooth drizzable icing. You may need more lemon juice to give you the right consistency. Spoon this glaze over the warm scones and decorate the tops with some candied ginger or lemon zest.

These scones are best made on the day of serving, although they can be rozen for up to 3 months, unglazed. Thaw in an oven, wrapped in foil, before glazing.



Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Stuffed French Toast.

Is it scon that rhymes with on, or is it scone that rhymes with stone??

Who knows. It sounds mightly delicious no matter which way you say it. If asked what the difference between a scone and a North American baking powder biscuit is, I would have to say first and foremost, it is in the preparation. In a baking powder biscuit the fat is cut into the flour using a pastry blender, or two round bladed knives. In a scone the fat is gently rubbed into the mixture with your fingertips, lifting the mixture high up and dropping it back into the bowl as you rub, in order to help incorporate some air to the mix.



Baking powder biscuits generally use all vegetable fat, and sometimes cream . . . scones usually use all butter, and sometimes butter and cream.

In both instances, it is wise not to overhandle the dough, lest you end up with tough scones or biscuits.



Baking powder biscuits are a bit heavier in texture and more savoury than scones . . . most scones are light and sweet . . . and go just perfectly with a nice hot cuppa and lashings of preserves and clotted cream, whereas baking powder biscuits are at their most perfect when served with hot soups and stews.



When cutting press the cutter straight down onto the scone dough and then lift it straight up without twisting. This gives you nice straight edges and they bake up straight as well. Twisting when you cut means you end up with lopsides scones.



Delicious, no matter how you cut them . . . no pun intended.




A plate of these, split and buttered alongside of a bowl of clotted cream and a jar of strawberry preserves and I am in heaven. This . . . is . . . bliss.

Damn . . . I forgot to buy the clotted cream . . .

No matter . . .



*Sultana Scones*
Makes about 14
Printable Recipe

Making good scones is easy as long as you don't overhandle the dough. Tender and moist, wrap them in a clean tea towel after baking to help to keep them that way. Served warm with lots of butter and preserves, these are wonderfully delicious . . .

8 ounces self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 ounces softened butter
1 ounce caster sugar
2 ounces sultanas
1 large egg
milk

Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Line two baking trays with baking parchment and set aside.

Measure the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with the tips of your fingers, until the mixture closely resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and the sultanas.

Beat the egg together with enough milk to make a total of 150 ml of liquid. Stir this mixture into the flour mixture to make a soft, but not sticky dough. You don't want it to be too dry, or too sticky.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead lightly a few times, then pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 inch cutter, then place them onto the prepared baking trays. Brush the tops with a little milk.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and nicely risen. Lift onto a wire rack to cool and then wrap in a clean tea towel to serve. Delicious!

Any purists out there in blog land had best look away now!! I am quite sure that what I am about to show you today will upset you, and perhaps even send you off the deep end. Some of you might even consider these to be blasphemous . . . as far as Scones go!



I will agree that peanut butter and chocolate together is quite, quite a North American thing, somewhat along the similar lines of peanut butter and jam . . . but very delicious nonetheless!!



Think Reeses Pieces and Peanut Butter Cups. Altogether a scrummy idea indeed!



The Toddster is still not quite convinced that Peanut Butter and Jam belong together, but he quite happily scarfs down these tasty scones when I bake them. I think I can quite safely consider him to be a peanut butter and chocolate convert. ☺



Imagine short peanut buttery scones . . . oh so scrummily flakey and peanutty . . . warm from the oven . . . a tall glass of milk . . . You break one in half to eat and what a delightful surprise!!! A molten river of dark chocolate oozes out onto your plate and fingers . . .



You lick your fingers off . . . off one by one, and then you smile . . .



This is very, very . . . very good! Traditonal . . . almost certainly not. Different . . . absolutely. Delicious . . . most definitely YES!




*Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Scones*
Makes 12 (2 1/2 inch) scones
Printable Recipes

A quintessentially delicious duo that are somewhat surprising in a scone, but very scrummy indeed!

280g of plain flour (2 cups)
85g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup firmly packed)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine seasalt
2 ounces of unsalted butter, chilled (1/4 cup)
3 heaped dessert spoons of creamy peanutbutter (about 3/4 cup)
2 ounces whole milk (1/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
60g chopped unsalted peanuts
2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, broken into 12 equal squares

Optional - a few whole peanuts to garnish the tops of the scones

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Take out a large baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk the flour, brown sugar, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl. Cut the chilled butter into bits and drop them into the bowl with the flour. Rub them into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, milk, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the crumbed mixture and knead in until well combined. Knead in in the chopped peanuts. Pat half of the mixture out about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 (2 1/2) inch rounds, gathering scraps and repeating until you have all 12. Place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Place a square of chocolate on top of each in the middle, pressing it down lightly. Pat out the remaining half of the scone mixture, again about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 12 (2 1/2 inch) rounds. Place each on top of each of the chocolate topped bottom rounds. Press lightly around the edges to seal.

Bake in the heated ovem for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes, before scooping the scones off with a spatula to finish cooling on a wire rack. Serve warm or cool. Store in a tightly covered container.

 


 I think scones have to be one of the most popular of all the quick breads.  Similar to the North American biscuit, but not quite the same.  Typically scones are a bit sweeter than North American Biscuits, not to be confused with cookies!  We may call cookies biscuits over here, but if you go to North American and request a biscuit with your cup of tea you are going to get something like a scone!  Not that that would be disappointing or anything, but  I'd rather dunk a Digestive Biscuit than a scone!



I have to say I have never bought a scone in a shop that I enjoyed as much as I enjoy the ones I make at home.  Tis true. I admit it.  I may be a bit of a scone snob though . . . and I've never been known to turn one down, shop bought or not.  I'm just saying that homemade ones are infinitely better than any you will find in a shop.



There are a few things that you can do to make sure you scones are always light and well risen with straight sides.

• Handle the dough as little as possible.   Try not to over mix the liquid ingredients into the dry.   You can knead them very gently to bring the dough together, but take care not to over do it, a few gentle turns should do the trick.
• Pat, don't roll.  I find that patting the dough out gently with my hands yields a much more tender scone.
• Use a sharp floured cutter to cut them out and use a sharp tapping motion, straight up and down.  Do not twist the cutter, or your scones will be lopsided and raise unevenly.  

 


There are all kinds of delicious scones available today.  I have posted quite a few tasty versions of the Scone, including my absolute favourite version . . . Maple Walnut.  Today however I wanted to show you a version that is a tiny bit different.



These are like a cross between a savory and a sweet scone.  There is no sugar in them at all . . . but the apple that you grate into the mix does add a bit of sweetness that goes so very well with the strong cheddar that is also in the  mix.



The result is a delicious scone with a tender wholesome crumb.   I love the melted cheese on the outsides and I can tell you they make a lovely light lunch with a slab of cheddar and some good mango chutney!




 *Apple and Cheddar Scones*
makes about 8
Printable Recipe

Beautiful scones, moist and tender on the inside and yet crisp on the outside.  Apples and cheese, the perfect combination!

225g of self raising flour (1 2/3 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
50g of unsalted butter, chilled (3 1/2 TBS)
1 tsp dry mustard powder
75g extra mature English cheddar cheese, grated (3/4 of a cup)
1 eating apple, washed and dried
100ml of milk (6 1/2 TBS)

Preheat the oven to  200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a baking sheet and set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt and baking powder.  Drop in the butter and then rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in the mustard powder and 2/3 of the cheese.  Grate the apple into the bowl, using the large holes of a box grater.  Discard the core and pips.  Mix well to coat the apple with the flour.  Pour in the milk and mix together with a round bladed knife to make a soft dough.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat out to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut into 8 rounds.  Gather together the scraps and repeat as necessary.  Place onto the baking sheet, leaving some space in between.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top of them all. 

Bake in the heated oven for 15 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.  Scoop off onto a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm, or cold as desired. 

Note: I like to use a 3 inch round cutter for these.