Source: http://britishfood.about.com
Scones are a tea-time favourite in British and Irish Food. They are an intrinsic part of an afternoon tea and perfect as a snack or treat at any time. Refer to baking tips on how to make perfect light scones.
Makes 6-8 scones
Ingredients:
Self raising flour, 225g (or ~2 cup)
Butter, cold, 55g
Baking powder, ½ tsp
Milk, 150ml
Egg, beaten with little milk, ~60g size, 1 unit
Method:
1. Preheat oven at 205 degC. Grease and flour a baking sheet/tin.
2. Sieve flour and dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add in butter and rub till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in centre, pour in milk and mix into a soft pliable dough.
4. Place dough onto a floured board and knead very lightly until smooth. Lightly roll dough out to ~2 cm thickness and cut out with a ~7 cm round cutter.
5. Place cut out dough onto prepared baking sheet/tin and brush top with beaten egg mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins till scone is well risen and golden brown.
Servings:
1. Serve with butter/jam and cream, and a pot of English tea.
Variants:
(a) Fruit Scone
Add 50g sultanas/dry mixed fruits/chopped dates to dry ingredients in basic recipe above.
(b) Cheese Scone
Add 50g (or ~½ cup) grated cheese and ½ tsp dry mustard powder to the mixture after rubbing in the fat and flour and continue with the basic recipe. Sprinkle the scones with 50g more grated cheese before baking the scones in the oven.
Ingredients:
Plain flour, 100g (or ~1 cup)
Baking powder, 1 tsp
Sugar, 2 tbsp
Butter/magarine, 50g
Dried fruits mix/raisins, lightly coated with plain flour, 50g
Egg, beaten, ~60g size, 1 unit
Method:
1. Preheat oven at 180degC.
2. Sift dry ingredients in a big bowl. Add in butter and rub with fingers.
3. Add in coated dried fruits mix/raisins and mix well.
4. Add in ½ beaten egg and mix into a dough. The consistency should be just dry enough for a fork to stand up. Add more beaten egg if dough is too dry, or more flour if it is too wet.
5. Pick up bite size dough with 2 forks and shape it on baking tray. Brush with remaining beaten egg before baking in oven for 10-15 mins till golden brown.
Source: http://www.kfcchickenrecipe.com, recipe self modified
Makes ~5 pcs biscuits, each of 2½ inches diameter
Ingredients:
Plain flour, 250g (or ~2 cup)
Salt, ½ tsp
Castor sugar, 20g (or 1 tbsp)
Baking powder, 20g (or ~5¼ tsp)
Salted butter, ~100g
Milk, 12-15 tbsp
Method:
1. Preheat oven at 210degC.
2. Sift dry ingredients in a bowl. Rub butter into dry ingredients with fingers. Add in milk, 3 tbsp each time, slowly knead into dough. Add in next batch of 3 tbsp only when all traces of milk are kneaded into dough. End result is a very soft dough but does not stick to hand.
3. Transfer dough to floured board, and knead gently for 8-10 times. Roll out dough to ½ inch thickness, and cut out biscuit with 2½ inches round cutter.
4. Place biscuits on greased baking sheet and bake in over for 10-15 mins till golden brown.
