Memories of youth... Old English quick scones

We are going to have an “office warming” for another department at work. I was asked to make something for the occasion. I thought of making scone. Whenever I bake scones I thought of my Aunt Kathy. My aunt was married to an Englishman. I used to spend time at their place after school when I was teenager. We would have tea in the afternoon and scones were often served.

Unlike American scones, these are very delicate and tender. My version here is a very simple home style. This is an old recipe and the measurement is in ounces. We used to make these by hand. I adapted the recipe to using a food processor. You can gather the dough, roll it into 1/2” thick and cut it into 1” rounds. When we made these for tea at home, we would keep it simple by dropping the dough by a teaspoon on a baking sheet. It will spread out a little more. Since the dough is not “worked”, it is tender and also melt in your mouth.

You can serve this with traditional clotted cream and jam. I prefer to have it plain.

Home style quick Scones

12 oz self-raising flour

4 oz very cold butter

4 oz sugar

1/8 – 1/3 cup of milk or buttermilk

2/3 cup dried currents

Optional: 1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tbsp of milk for glaze.

 Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Prepare food processor with the process blade: Place 12 oz of flours in the work bowl

Cut the butter into 8 pieces and drop into the bowl with the flour

Cover. Put the processor in “dough” mold. Purse till the butter is worked into the flour and resemble breadcrumbs (about 3 mins)

Blend in sugar.

While the processor is on, pour in 1/8 cup of milk through the top feed tube. Check the dough, the amount of liquid will depend on the humidity and the temperture of your surrounding. I am in a dry climate and it is Fall here, I have to use about ¼ cup of milk. I would use all 1/3 cup in the winter, especially when the heat is on.

It's ready when the dough starts to stick together

Transfer the dough to large bowl, add the currents and mix thoroughly.

As this point, you can choose

1-  to use 2 teaspoon and gather into a round 

and drop onto a baking sheet.

2-  to gather the dough, transfer to floured working surface. Roll out to 1” think and cut into 1” rounds. 

Place 1” apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Brush top of each scone with egg-wash

Bake for 20-22mins till the edges are golden.

Let the scones cool for a few mins, transfer to cool rack

Serve warm with clotted cream and jam

Make 18 scones

Enjoy

Aloha