I love scones and these savoury treats are quick to make and are a great accompaniment to a spring soup. You can add chives for a lovely subtle onion favour or adjust the ingredients to make sweet scones or fruit scones so it really is a very useful recipe.
They are delicious warm straight from the oven and best eaten on the same day as baking but they are so simple to make you can rustle them up just before you want to eat them anyway!
225 grams self raising flour
55 grams unsalted butter
Pinch salt
50 grams strong cheddar cheese grated
150ml semi skimmed milk
Egg wash & extra parmesan/cheddar grated
for the tops
Method:
1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius / 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Weight the flour and butter into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and rub together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs/crumble topping.
3) Add the grated cheese and stir together.
4) Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk.
5) Mix gently with a knife until just combined and squeeze lightly into a ball.
6) Roll out to 1 inch/2.5cm think and use a 4/5 cm round fluted cutter to cut the scones out.
7) Please a little distance apart on a greased or lined baking tray.
8) Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with additional grated cheddar or parmesan.
9) Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
You can change this basic recipe to make fruit or plain sweet scones, just leave out the cheese and add 2-3 tbsp of caster sugar and a handfull of your favourite dried fruit.
Just remember not to overwork the mixture or the scones become tough. For extra height be careful not to roll you dough too thin, at least one inch is perfect.
