Fruit Scone

It is believed that Scones got their start as a Scottish quick bread. Originally made with oats and baked on a griddle pan. some believe it originates from the Dutch word ‘schoonbrot’, meaning beautiful bread. Whilst others believe that it originates from the “Stone of Destiny”, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned.

Scones however became popular as the fashionable ritual of “taking tea” blossomed in England when Anna, the Duchess of Bedford ordered the servants to bring tea and some sweet breads (scones). It has since been an English tradition, with “afternoon tea” being served at about 4pm.

Since then there have been huge varieties of scones created, both sweet and savoury capturing the taste buds of all no matter whether you’re sweet or savoury.

Scones come in an array of shapes and sizes, some rough, and almost resembling the look of a rock cake. whilst others are more refined having been cut with a circular cutter, risen high and glazed with either egg or milk. So it would be fair to say that everyone has their own preference on how they like their scones, from size, texture to flavour. But me…?.. I like mine to be large, and have a crumbly texture as opposed to a sponge like texture. that’s not to say that I want them to crumble into nothing when I eat them, or disintegrate into mere dust when trying to apply cream, yes that right I’m a cream first kinda gal, but I do like a crumble.

So here is my recipe that I like to use.

Ingredients	You will need:	Oven temperature:
350g Self raising flour (and a little extra for dusting) 85g Butter cubed and cold 3 tbsp. caster sugar 175ml milk 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 120g sultanas 1 beaten egg to glaze	Bowl Rolling pin Circular cutters Greaseproof paper Baking tray	220C/200C fan/ Gas 7

Method

1. Pre heat the oven 220C/ 200C fan/ Gas 7

2. line a baking tray with grease proof paper, and set to one side.

3. Place the flour, caster sugar, salt, baking powder in to the bowl and using your hand mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

4. Add the cold cubed butter

5. Using your hands rub the flour and butter together until it resembles bread crumbs. (try to use the tips of your fingers rather than the whole hand, as this will increase the temperature of the butter making it harder to work )

6. Once your have reached the fine bread crumb stage add the sultanas and mix well.

7. Create a small well in the mixture and add the milk.

8. Using your hands lightly work the milk into the flour mixture to create a dough (you do not want to over work the dough and build the gluten otherwise the scones will be tough)

9. Once the mixture has formed a dough turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

10. Gently roll the dough to about 1 inch thick.

11. Using you circular cutter cut out your scones and place onto your grease proof paper.

12. Re-mould the remaining dough into a ball and repeat.

13. with your beaten egg brush the tops of the scones and place into the oven.

14. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown and well risen.

15. remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.