Showing posts sorted by date for query Scones. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Scones. Sort by relevance Show all posts
These are not British Biscuits/cookies but rather North American Biscuits, which are very similar to scones, and are a type of bread, ie. a baking powder biscuit. This is a recipe I have been using for many, many years and is one of my favourite versions of baking powder biscuits, aside from my mother's recipe, which is the absolute best!
These are different than most baking powder biscuits in that, along with baking powder, they also use yeast . . . quick or bread machine yeast to be exact, and there is no raising time as with normal bread, which makes them truly a quick bread.
Many moons ago, when I was raising my family we used to spend several weeks every summer at my in-laws home on Prince Edward Island, which is where my in-laws had retired to. It was a nice little community, mostly filled with retired armed forces personnel and war vets. Across the road there was a couple named Kenny. Mrs Kenny was Acadian French and she used to make these beautiful "French Biscuits" as she called them. Very similar to these, but also slightly different. They were more like a bun than a biscuit and were at their very best on the day they were baked.
She used to prick the tops with a fork before baking and they had a short rising time. She tried to tell me how to make them once, but she had no measurements for anything. Like a lot of older cooks, she just used a bit of this and a bit of that. Every time we were visiting the In-laws, Mrs Kenny would send us over a basket of her French Biscuits and they were always very warmly received.
They were so delicious and I have been searching ever since for an exact recipe for them, and coming up with nothing. In the meantime I bake these Angel Biscuits every now and then, and dream of those. Never mind, these Angel Biscuits are delicious, nevertheless!
They are as light as air, lovely and fluffy . . . soft as a pillow or an angel's wings, which I am sure is where they get their name from!
They do use white vegetable shortening (Trex here in the UK, or Crisco in North America.) I have never made them with butter. Only ever just shortening.
They also use buttermilk. In North American I used to buy buttermilk by the litre, here in the UK you can only get it in 300ml sizes (about 1 1/4 cups). Its kind of silly really because I am never able to find something that only uses 60ml/1/4 cup of buttermilk. Sigh . . .
You can get it by the litre from Ocado, which is an online grocery shopping site, but it comes over from Ireland. They use a lot of buttermilk in Ireland. I wish we could get the larger size here without having to do an online shop. You have to spend a minimum amount to do an online shop, so I do treat myself every now and then, but mostly I just buy the smaller size and end up throwing the excess away in time because it doesn't get used!
Back to the biscuits. These truly are as light as air . . . .
and ultra flaky . . . seriously tasty!
You can bake them in one of two ways . . . either spread apart on a baking sheet or crisp sides, or close together in a skillet for softer sides. The choice is yours. Today I did them in a skillet.
Yield: 10
Angel Biscuits
prep time: 14 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 39 mins
Light and fluffy, these are baking powder biscuits which also use yeast to help them rise. A buttermilk biscuit with a delicious difference!
ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp quick acting yeast
(bread machine yeast)
2 TBS warm water
245g of plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
140g cake flour (see my instructions below, 1 cup)
1 1/2 TBS caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
75g solid white vegetable fat (1/3 cup)
(make sure it is cold)
240ml cold buttermilk (1 cup)
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. You can bake these
either on a baking sheet, spaced apart for crisp sides, or close
together in an iron skillet for soft sides. In both cases you will want
to line the pan with some baking paper. Set aside.
either on a baking sheet, spaced apart for crisp sides, or close
together in an iron skillet for soft sides. In both cases you will want
to line the pan with some baking paper. Set aside.
Whisk the yeast and warm water together. Set aside to prove.
Sift
the flour into a bowl, along with the cake flour (for each 140g/1 cup
of cake flour needed, you can use the equivalent in plain flour, with 2
TBS removed and replaced with 2 TBS cornflour/cornstarch), and baking
powder. Stir in the sugar and salt. Drop in the cold shortening and
cut it in with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour
in the yeast mixture and the buttermilk, stirring together with a fork
to make a soft dough. Knead gently several times to bring together.
Pat out on a lightly floured surface to 1 inch thickness. Using a sharp
round 2 1/2inch cutter and using a sharp up and down tapping motion,
cut out rounds. (Try not to twist the dough and try to get as many cuts
as possible from the first cutting.) Place on the baking sheet leaving
space in between, or into the skillet, closer together.
the flour into a bowl, along with the cake flour (for each 140g/1 cup
of cake flour needed, you can use the equivalent in plain flour, with 2
TBS removed and replaced with 2 TBS cornflour/cornstarch), and baking
powder. Stir in the sugar and salt. Drop in the cold shortening and
cut it in with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour
in the yeast mixture and the buttermilk, stirring together with a fork
to make a soft dough. Knead gently several times to bring together.
Pat out on a lightly floured surface to 1 inch thickness. Using a sharp
round 2 1/2inch cutter and using a sharp up and down tapping motion,
cut out rounds. (Try not to twist the dough and try to get as many cuts
as possible from the first cutting.) Place on the baking sheet leaving
space in between, or into the skillet, closer together.
in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes (baking sheet), or 20 to 25
minutes (skillet), until well risen and golden brown and fully cooked
through. Serve hot wth butter for spread.
Created using The Recipes Generator
These are just so amazingly good. I had one with my dinner and now I am looking forward to having another one before I go to bed with some peanut butter on it. I am such a naughty girl, I know! I just can't help myself, which is why I save these for a rare treat! Bon Appetit!
No English Tea Party would be complete without a tray of beautiful Scones. Is it scone that rhymes with "on", or is it scone that rhymes with "stone"?? Who knows for sure!!
It sounds mighty 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. I thought it would be fun today to do a tutorial for you on how to prepare and bake the classic English scone.
North American baking powder biscuits generally use all vegetable fat, and sometimes
cream. Scones usually use all butter, and sometimes butter and cream.
The two things are not the same thing at all, no matter how similar they might look. Scones are sweeter as well, which makes them perfect for enjoying with a hot cuppa. Biscuits are flaky and Scones are crumbly. They really are not the same thing at all, no matter how similar they may look.
When making scones, the first thing you will want to do is to sift your flour baking powder and salt into a bowl I find that aerating the flour in this way makes for a lighter scone. Sifting it together with the baking powder and salt ensures that all are mixed together evenly.
I do this from about 6 to 8 inches above the bowl, which really helps the air to get in there. I also always use self raising flour. You can buy it ready made or make your own. I give instructions on how to that on the main page.
Once you have done this it is time to add the butter. I will be honest here, I have never really been able to tell much difference between using sweet or salted butter.
But then again, I use Lurpak, lightly salted and that is not very salty to begin with. I love Lurpak. It is a danish butter and is always my butter of choice.
Make sure your butter is really cold. right from the refrigerator. Cut it into cubes quickly. I just measure it and then using a sharp knife cube it right into the bowl. Remember you want it to stay as cold as possible.
If you think it has warmed up too much, stick it onto a plate and pop it back into the refrigerator or even into the freezer for a few minutes. Warm hands can be somewhat of an enemy here, as well as when you are making pastry.
Once you have the butter in the bowl take your thumb and first two fingers on each hand and rub the butter into the flour using a snapping motion. Snap, snap, snap. Use the tips of your fingers.
When you are done it will look like fine dry bread crumbs. You really don't want any larger bits if you can help it. It should also look a bit like wet sand.
It is then that you can take a round bladed knife and stir in the sugar. You might think it is strange stirring the sugar into the flour mixture like this. It does seem a bit backwards.
But trust me when I tell you to do it this way. Scones have been made this way for years and years with great success.
It is now also that you will stir in the raisins. I like lots of raisins in mine. But people also use dried currants (which are smaller) and sometimes other dried fruit and berries. Stir them in with the round bladed knife also.
If you are not fond of raisins you can use another dried fruit such as dried blueberries or dried cranberries. Chopped dried dates also work well. For this particular recipe you do not want to use wet fruit.
Then you are going to make a hollow in the middle of this mixture and pour in your wet ingredients, stirring them in once again with a round bladed knife, to give you a soft, slightly tacky dough that holds well together.
Don't be afraid or think you have done something wrong because the dough is tacky or a bit sticky. This is as it should be.
Tip this out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for a couple of turns. Lightly floured is best. You don't want to add to much additional flour to the dough by using too much.
You also only knead it for a very few times. If you overhandle any dough such as scones or pastry (or even biscuits) you run the risk of toughening them.
Once it has all come together nicely you can then pat it out to a one-inch thickness. I favour patting it over rolling it.
Its time to cut them out now. I use a 2 or 3 inch sharp round cutter, and I prefer the straight edge rather than the fluted edge of the cutter. Using a sharp up and down tapping motion, cut out as many as you can from this first patting out.
Once you have cut them out, you can gently rework the scraps and cut out more, but bear in mind that they will not be as nice as the first cut, so do try to get as many as you can from the first cut.
DO NOT twist the cutter. If you twist the cutter when you are cutting them, your scones will bake all lop-sided.
Place them evenly spaced on a paper lined baking sheet. I brush the tops lightly with an egg beaten with a tiny bit of water.
Make sure you only brush the tops and don't let the egg wash drip down the sides. This will hamper the rise.
That's it. Its all up to the oven now. Just pop the scones on the baking sheet into the pre-heated oven and bake as per the recipe.
If you look at the sheet of finished baked scones above you can clearly see which ones were from the first cut and which from the second. (I would never cut three times.) The first cut are even. The second cuts a bit rougher looking.
At the end of the day perfect or rough, these scone, no matter how they look, they will be delicious. You will want to enjoy them with some cream and jam, for the ultimate English experience.
Over here tea-rooms make a good business out of serving scones with cream and jam. Clotted cream if you can get it is beautiful, but you can also use whipped heavy cream.
That's what they call a "Cream Tea" over here in the UK, and there is much debate about which goes first onto the split scone . . . the cream or the jam.
Wars have been fought over that choice. Just kidding, however there has been some very heated discussions about this topic!
This can vary greatly according to which part of the country you come from. Each county has their own idea of what is proper and what is right. It is a subject of much debate.
If you put the jam first, the cream tends to slide off . . .
I like to put the cream on first myself, as it helps to cradle the jam and keep it in place . . . but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter I don't think.
It all ends up in the same place. Jam first or cream first.
They are delicious no matter which you put on first. I personally like strawberry jam with mine, but lemon curd is also very nice. Some people like cherry jam, others honey.
The sweetness of whatever you choose to use helps to accentuate the richness of the cream. And of course all of it goes beautifully with those rich crumbly fruit studded scones.
I don't think there is a prettier or a more delicious sight than a fabulously light and perfectly baked scone topped with cream (clotted or whipped) and some jam. This is heaven to me!
Put the kettle on for there is only one perfect thing to enjoy with these delicious delights! A pot of hot teas, steaming. Will that be one lump or two?
Yield: 10
Classic English Scones
prep time: 20 minscook time: 10 minstotal time: 30 mins
These are buttery and flaky tender with just the right amount of sticky sultanas. Serve with cream and jam for a real treat!
ingredients:
350g self raising flour ( 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
75g of cold butter (5 1/2 TBS)
30g Caster sugar (2 1/2 TBS, superfine sugar)
75g sultana raisins (1/2 cup)
approximately 150ml milk (scant 2/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
granulated sugar to sprinkle plus flour for dusting
75g of cold butter (5 1/2 TBS)
30g Caster sugar (2 1/2 TBS, superfine sugar)
75g sultana raisins (1/2 cup)
approximately 150ml milk (scant 2/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
granulated sugar to sprinkle plus flour for dusting
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a large baking tray. Alternately line it with greaseproof paper.
Measure
the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder. (Pour the flour in
from on high to aerate it.) Whisk together. Drop in the cold butter
in bits. Using your fingertips rub the butter in quickly until the
mixture resembles fine dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and
raisins.
Beat the eggs. Remove and set 2 TBS aside. Add
100ml (scant 1/2 cup) of the milk to the eggs and beat together. Add
this to the flour mixture. Mix together with the rounded end of a
butter knife to form a soft but slightly tacky dough. Only add the
remainder of the milk if your dough is too dry and you want to absorb
any dry bits in the bowl. The dough should NOT be too wet, but not too
dry either. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a
couple of times to bring well together. Gently pat out to 1 inch
thick. Using a sharp round 3 inch cutter, cut out rounds, using a
direct up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter. Place the cut out
scones an inch or so apart on the baking sheet. Gather any trimmings
together and repeat until you have 10 scones.
Brush the
tops of the scones with the reserved beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit
of granulated sugar. Don't let the egg drip down the sides.
Bake
for about 10 minutes, until risen and golden on top and bottoms.
Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Best
eaten on the day. Any leftovers can be frozen for several months.
Measure
the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder. (Pour the flour in
from on high to aerate it.) Whisk together. Drop in the cold butter
in bits. Using your fingertips rub the butter in quickly until the
mixture resembles fine dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and
raisins.
Beat the eggs. Remove and set 2 TBS aside. Add
100ml (scant 1/2 cup) of the milk to the eggs and beat together. Add
this to the flour mixture. Mix together with the rounded end of a
butter knife to form a soft but slightly tacky dough. Only add the
remainder of the milk if your dough is too dry and you want to absorb
any dry bits in the bowl. The dough should NOT be too wet, but not too
dry either. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a
couple of times to bring well together. Gently pat out to 1 inch
thick. Using a sharp round 3 inch cutter, cut out rounds, using a
direct up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter. Place the cut out
scones an inch or so apart on the baking sheet. Gather any trimmings
together and repeat until you have 10 scones.
Brush the
tops of the scones with the reserved beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit
of granulated sugar. Don't let the egg drip down the sides.
Bake
for about 10 minutes, until risen and golden on top and bottoms.
Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Best
eaten on the day. Any leftovers can be frozen for several months.
Created using The Recipes Generator
If you follow my directions and use a light hand in the preparation you are going to be rewarded with beautifully risen, light and fluffy scones. With jam, honey or lemon curd, you are in for a real treat.
These are perfect for teatime, coffee break, breakfast, elevenses, etc. In short, they are perfect for enjoying ANY time!
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English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are
reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you
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Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
This recipe I am sharing today is not only very tasty, but also quite family friendly, simple to make and fairly healthy, especially if you use the leanest ground turkey you can buy and a low fat cheddar. It is also very economical! So its a winner all round!
I confess that I am not overly fond of ground beef. It goes back to my childhood I guess. Mom always bought really cheap ground beef. It was fatty and full of gristle and sometimes bits of bone. If there was any gristle or bone in it, it always seemed to end up on my plate and as soon as it hit my teeth I would be gagging! Very unpleasant.
I do eat ground beef now, but not very often and I always grind my own when I do. Did you know that when you are buying ground beef at the shops, the meat in your pack can come from several animals, but if you buy a piece of beef and trim it, then grind it yourself, you know for sure it came from just one.
The protein in Turkey alone could make it a Super Food, but actually this lean meat has much more to offer. It is also chock full of nutrients, particularly niacin, selenium, vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc. These nutrients are heart-healthy and also valuable in helping to lower the risk for cancer.
Turkey is also one of the leanest protein foods and is low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. The selenium in it has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone.
We love turkey and turkey, it seems . . . loves us!
This is really a very easy bake to make. Turkey is browned in a pan along with some finely chopped onion. (Just spray the pan with some low fat cooking spray.) I like to add a few herbs and some salt and black pepper for more flavor. You could also add chopped celery if you wanted to.
This gets spread in a baking dish and topped with a layer of grated cheddar cheese. I use cheddar because it is a favourite of ours and packs a lot of flavour in, so you don't need as much cheese as you would another type. I use a lower fat cheddar. It works beautifully.
You sprinkle the cheese over the cooked turkey in a baking dish and then beat together some baking mix, milk and eggs and pour that over top. Then it is as simple as popping it into a hot oven and baking it until it is done. Presto, you have a delicious entree that the family will love. I often add a layer of chopped cooked vegetables between the layer of turkey and the cheese. Also, very good and healthy too! (I make my own homemade baking mix. The recipe is below.)
Yield: 4
Cheesy Turkey Burger Bake
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
A simple bake which is not only delicious but very easy to make and family friendly. Serve with your favourite vegetables and salad if you wish!
ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely minced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp each dried parsley, sage and thyme
salt and black pepper to taste
120g grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)
60g baking mix (1/2 cup, something like Bisquick or Tea Bisk)
(Or you can use a homemade version, see link)
240ml whole milk (1 cup)
2 large free range eggs
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter an 8 inch square baking dish. Set aside.
Spritz
a skillet with some low fat cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and
chopped onion, and brown until evenly cooked and no longer pink. (I
mash mine with a potato masher as I am cooking it. to help break it
up.) Stir in the garlic powder and herbs. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Scrape into the baking dish. Spread out into an even
layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top. Whisk together the
baking mix, milk and eggs. (Or blitz in a blender to combine.) Pour
over the turkey and cheese.
a skillet with some low fat cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and
chopped onion, and brown until evenly cooked and no longer pink. (I
mash mine with a potato masher as I am cooking it. to help break it
up.) Stir in the garlic powder and herbs. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Scrape into the baking dish. Spread out into an even
layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top. Whisk together the
baking mix, milk and eggs. (Or blitz in a blender to combine.) Pour
over the turkey and cheese.
Bake in the
preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese
has started to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand
for several minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese
has started to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand
for several minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
- If desired you can add a thin layer of cooked vegetables over the
turkey before sprinkling the cheese over top. Chopped broccoli is nice as are
peas/corn/carrots, or chopped cooked spinach,etc.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Yield: 24
Homemade Baking Mix
prep time: cook time: total time:
This is mix which comes in really handy to have in the cupboard, ready to use for making muffins, pancakes and all sorts.
ingredients:
1260g of plain flour (9 cups)
245g milk powder (1 cup)
5 TBS baking powder
50g white sugar (1/4 cup)
1 TBS salt
220g white vegetable shortening (1 cup)instructions:
Whisk flour, dry milk
powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly
combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter,
about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an
air-tight container for up to 3 months.
To make Waffles:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Beat together with 310ml
milk (1 1/3 cups), 2 TBS vegetable oil and 1 egg. Pour into centre of
hot greased waffle maker. Close lid. Bake about 5 minutes or until
steaming stops. Remove with a fork and keep warm. Makes about 12.
powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly
combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter,
about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an
air-tight container for up to 3 months.
To make biscuits/scones:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Stir in 180ml buttermilk
(3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a
220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes. Makes six large
biscuits (scones).
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Stir in 180ml buttermilk
(3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a
220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes. Makes six large
biscuits (scones).
To make Pancakes:
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2
tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Whisk together until
smooth. Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle. Drop 1/4
cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle. Cook until the edges are
dry, flip and cook until golden. Makes about 14.
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2
tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Whisk together until
smooth. Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle. Drop 1/4
cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle. Cook until the edges are
dry, flip and cook until golden. Makes about 14.
Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Beat together with 310ml
milk (1 1/3 cups), 2 TBS vegetable oil and 1 egg. Pour into centre of
hot greased waffle maker. Close lid. Bake about 5 minutes or until
steaming stops. Remove with a fork and keep warm. Makes about 12.
Created using The Recipes Generator
We had friends pop in the other day when I was making this so I simply popped some vegetable chips into the oven and we had it with them and some steamed baby peas. Everyone loved it. In fact my friend's husband had seconds! Bon Appetit!
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