Spring weather puts me in the mood for tea and scones. I know most people like scones in the winter, but there's something about sunny, cool spring days that has me thinking of afternoon tea with hot scones, jam and butter. Here is my favorite afternoon tea - delicious!
And, here are my mother's scones. This is the easiest recipe ever, and you can do so many variations. They are tossed together in 15 minutes, baked in 20 - so if you ever visit my mum and give an hour's notice, you will most likely get some of these!
Teatime Scones (I think these were originally published in the Boston Globe)1 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup milk)
1 egg
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/1 cup melted butter (I don't think it will work as well with margarine)
2 TBS sugar (this is optional, but I like it)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Beat together buttermilk, egg, and sugar. Sift the flour and baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl.
3. Mix 2/3 of the flour mixture into the buttermilk and stir well. Gradually add melted butter to the mix, then add the rest of the flour.
4. Knead dough ( or just use the dough hook on the Kitchen Aide) by hand for about 5 minutes (I think it's about 2 minutes in the Kitchen Aide). Divide into 3 equal parts (4" to 5" in diameter). Pat these parts into circles, and score the top of each circle with a cross (see picture above).
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
(These are really delicious hot out of the oven, but they also freeze and reheat well). With jam and butter, they are so good - and easy.
mmm, yummmm! i have a thing for scones, too - any time of the year! i am lucky to have a british mother in law who has given me some great recipes. i'll have to try that tea - thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteDelish - I'd be curious to know what ingredients go into the real English ones!
ReplyDelete