Cheddar Scones

Sharing. It is one of the key components of being a parent, and it does not come easily to my when I am at my most gluttonous. But I have a secret weapon, and it is cheese.

Yes, cheese. Isn't it a miracle that curdled, rotten milk can be made into something so glorious? Christmas is coming, so cheddar, camembert, and stilton are everywhere, and that is a wonderful thing. Unless you are my eldest son, who, for reasons unbeknownst to me, has no appetite for the stuff. None. In fact, if he tastes cheese, he suffers a gag reflex, which is just great at parties, let me tell you. So while other families put cheese on and in food in order to entice their children to eat it, I must do the opposite. But you see, I can also flip it round: if I want something ALL TO MYSELF, I can just add cheese! Once his siblings see his reaction, they often follow suit in food refusal, meaning I get whatever it is all to myself, and I don't have to hide in the cupboard to eat it either.

And recently I have developed a slight addiction to cheese scones.

Whenever I can, I escape our flat to get some study time sans enfants, and the place I usual go is a hipster type farmshop plus cafe located 10 minutes walk from our place. And the best time to go is the first hour they are open in the morning. Why? Because that is when the scones come out of the oven. I don't even bother checking what kind are being offered anymore (they offer one sweet and one savoury kind each day, and there is no routine to them), so I just ask for a savoury one and wait patiently for the piece of art to appear. The scone arrives steaming on the table, hot to the touch, meaning the butter melts and soaks into every nook and cranny. Heaven, I tell you. And highly addictive.

So I thought I'd try and recreate some of the magic at home. I haven't quite moved up to the artisan level of their creations, but it was still pretty awesome, and NO ONE ELSE WANTED ANY!! Which meant I could eat one and freeze the other three for future self indulgence.

Ok, freeze two. They were really good.

Cheese on top and cheese within

My 4 babies

Butter makes it better

Here's the recipe I tried, with more milk than it says. Still needs tweaking, and I think I may add some seeds for crunch next time...

Ingredients: 

225g self raising flour 

Pinch salt 

Pinch cayenne pepper 

1 tsp baking powder 

55g butter 

100g cheddar cheese 

80­-90 ml milk, plus extra for glazing 

Extra cheese for topping the scones

Method Preheat oven with the baking tray inside to 200.C (slightly less for fan ovens). In a medium­large bowl sift together the flour, salt, cayenne pepper and baking powder. Sift again to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cut the butter into cubes, place in the bowl and then mix with your fingertips to make breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the grated cheese into the breadcrumb mixture and rub in until the cheese is evenly distributed. Try not to mix too much as the heat from your hands may start to melt the cheese. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in enough milk to give a fairly soft but firm dough. Do not pour in all the milk at once as you may not need it all to get the right consistency. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough to approximately 2cm thick. Cut out the scones with a medium cutter and then place on the hot oven tray. Glaze the tops with the extra milk and sprinkle a little cheese on the top of each scone before putting in the oven. Bake in the oven for 10­-15min

Ginger and Date Scones

Scone. How do you pronounce that word? Here, it is generally said to be "skon", unless you are talking about the place itself, in which case it is "Skoon". If you are reading this in North America, you probably think it rhymes with stone. 

No, it doesn't. Stop doing that. 

Scones (especially their pronunciation) have been a bit of a thing for a long time in our family. My grandmother's consistently rose like clouds when she cooked them at home in Australia. Unfortunately, when she tried the exact same recipe in North America, the flour produced hot, buttery batches of rocks - fresh baked disappointment - due to the local flour's refusal to cooperate. But the British delicacy didn't have to be homemade; every time we went on a trip to the beach town of Lorne, we could count on visiting the same tea shop overlooking the ocean.  There my grandmother would carefully scrutinise all the menu choices before choosing the same thing time and time again: a cream tea. I think she was of the jam then cream school, but I won't swear to it.

We made the odd batch of scones at home growing up using the ever reliable Bisquick, but it wasn't until I moved to Scotland that I made them from scratch. Here, so many claim to make the BEST scones that I was a bit wary of trying to make them myself. Eventually I conquered my fear, telling myself  at the end of the day, anything straight out of the oven served smeared with melting butter and generous dollops of jam is going to be good, no matter how incompetent a cook you are.

A few years ago my mum went on a visit to Australia and raved about a particular variety of scone: ginger and date. She feasted on them several times during her stay, and being somewhat of a ginger fanatic, recommended I also try making them. She suggested this on a regular basis for quite some time...

"So, have you tried making ginger and date scones?"

"I miss those scones in Australia...you know, the ginger and date ones? Have you made them?"

"Did you find a good recipe for ginger and date scones yet??"

"Oh...you're baking? Are you making scones? With ginger? And dates?"

Still, I can't say I was ever really tempted to make them until this past week. I was at home, awaiting her and her companion's arrival while looking after a poorly 3-year-old, trying to think of something simple I could make with the ingredients I had on hand. Years ago, my mother and I had walked the West Highland Way together, and she had been particularly delighted by Rose Cottage, a B&B that had greeted us with fresh scones and a pot of tea. I looked to recreate that moment (scones after a trek across the ocean rather than following a 14 mile stroll) and then realised that I had both candied ginger and dates in my possession, so perhaps it was time to try the variety my mother had requested I try so many times. The one ingredient in the recipe I did not possess was buttermilk, but that was easily remedied by adding lemon juice to milk and waiting for the mixture to magically transform. 

The rest was just as simple: dry ingredients and chopped butter into the food processor, blitz, dump into bowl & add buttermilk to bring together, mixing as little as possible, fold in dates and chopped ginger. Put mounds onto greaseproof paper, then sprinkle coarse, demerara sugar on top and bake until nicely browned. Brew tea and wait for mother, trying one for quality control while waiting. 

So yes, mother, I have made them. And yes, they were nice. Thank you.

The link is here, but the recipe is also below:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into 8 chunks
• 1 cup buttermilk (just under a cup of milk, add a Tbsp of lemon juice, stir, then let sit for 10 minutes)
• 3/4 cup dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon demerara sugar 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
3. With pastry blender cut in the cold butter until mixture looks like fine crumbs (or blitz in a food processor)
4. Stir in buttermilk until dough forms a ball, then stir in dates & ginger.
5. On an ungreased baking sheet & using a 1/3 cup measure, drop dough 1 inch apart, then sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown

Raspberry Almond Scones

Scones are good, and these are awesome: almond raspberry scones. What's even better is that my local corner shop stocks packs of frozen raspberries in their small freezer section, meaning it is relatively easy to keep them in stock.

These photos have been sitting in my account for well over a month, so I suppose it is time I posted them. It is a fairly simple recipe. First go in flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt:

Then a pastry blender (or two knives) are used to cut the butter into the flour.

Then in goes milk or cream plus a few drops of almond extract

Then almonds

And lastly you mix in the berries.

The freezing berries make the dough go funny, and everything sticks to your hands as you form the dough in a big, weepy pink ball, but it's worth it. I just plop the ball on a floured baking sheet.

Then cut it up

Then separate the pieces so that they may grow and develop as independent scones.

Then bake them, ideally turning them through the baking so that they cook more evenly than this.

I think these ones went back in for a spell.

Then a simple glaze of icing sugar, almond extract, and milk goes on top via a handy dandy freezer bag with the tip cut off.

With the added almonds, now they are posh enough for Fancy Nancy.

I just love being fancy.

Here is the recipe, copied and pasted (or you could visit here), obviously from someone sponsored by Land O Lakes butter: 

Raspberry Almond Scones

Yield: 8 scones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-18 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Raspberry Almond Scones are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or tea time! Don't skip the almond glaze, it is heavenly!

ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted Land O Lakes® Butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 cup raspberries

For the Almond Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4-5 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds, for garnish

Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, for serving, if desired

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Quickly cut in the butter, using your hands, two knives, or a pastry blender. Mix until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a feel larger butter lumps. Pour 1 cup of heavy cream and almond extract over the ingredients and stir with a spatula until dough begins to form. Don't over mix. Gently fold in sliced almonds and raspberries. The raspberries will get a little smashed, but that is ok. The scones will still be pretty:)

3. Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead dough by hand just until it forms a ball. Form scones by patting the dough into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut the scones into even triangles. We got 8 scones.

4. Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush scones lightly with the additional heavy cream. Bake scones for 15-18 minutes, or until scones are light brown. Cool scones on a wire cooling rack.

5. While the scones are cooling, make the almond glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and almond extract. Whisk until you reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over the scones. Top with additional sliced almonds. Serve!

Scones will keep in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days, but they really are best eaten the day they are made.

Pumpkin Scones

Yes, we Americans do love our pumpkin.

And no, these are not savoury scones, they are the American type of scone - sweet, cut into triangles rather than rounds, and in this case drizzled with a sweet, spicy glaze.  And while I am not ready to use the American pronunciation that rhymes them with stone, I do like how they are designed to last slightly longer at room temperature than their British cousins.  They are wonderful with coffee or tea, and the pumpkin ensures that they are virtually impossible to dry out in your oven.

I made them once before with some pumpkin I had lingering in my fridge after making pumpkin whoopie pies.  On that occasion, I was less than precise with my measurements and ended up with a very wet dough that couldn't be cut into triangles and was just shoved into the oven in a big mound.  When it was nearly done I took it out and cut it up, separating the pieces on the tray, before putting them back in to finish baking.  This time I actually followed the recipe and had a much more workable dough, though I think I might prefer it with too much pumpkin and the improvised cutting process.

These are also the result of not setting the clock back on my Kindle.  You see, the other morning my daughter came through and said "it's getting light out, is it morning time?"

I checked my Kindle, saw it was nearly 7, and said "sure, we can get up."

Of course, once my daughter, baby, and I reached the kitchen, I realised my error, seeing it was, in fact, nearly 6am.  If I am forced to be up this early, there are two ways I cope
1) I consume a large pot of proper leaf tea
2) I bake something

A the kettle boiled, I got out a few things:

Into a bowl went some flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

  And butter.

  Of course.

And this is what it looked like after I rubbed it in with my left hand and held a baby in my right one.

Then in went some pumpkin, egg, and cream

And I kneaded it a few times with my scary big pink hand.

I then made a rough circle and cut it into 8 wedges which I placed on a tray and put in a hot oven.

They came out looking like this:

Then I drizzled a bit of a glaze made of cream, icing sugar, and cinnamon over the scones.

And I ate them.  And they were good.  Very, very good.  I might even make some more soon, as my jack-o-lanterns are in the process of being slaughtered, steamed, pureed, and drained to make puree. There's a reason I usually buy the pumpkin puree in cans.

Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Scones

Yield: 8 scones | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | adapted from  Iowa Girl Eats 

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour

7 tbsp. caster sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (or more if you want to be daring)

3 tbsp. double cream

1 egg

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

For the spiced icing drizzle:

1 cup + 3 tbsp. powdered sugar

3 tbsp. double cream (more if you like your icing runnier)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220C) and lightly flour a baking tray.  
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices. Mix until well blended.
3. Add the cold butter and incorporate with your hands or a pastry blender until mixture resembles breadcrumbs in appearance.
4. Add pumpkin, egg, and cream and knead briefly until just combined.  If the dough is too sticky, add a bit of flour to make it manageable.
5. Flatten the dough into a 1″ thick circle, then cut into 8 wedges.
6. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or just until they’re starting to turn golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. In the meantime, make the spiced icing drizzle by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing until combined.
9. Once the scones have cooled as long as you can stand it, drizzle the spiced icing on top.   
10. Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  Ha ha ha, just kidding, eat them all now.