Scones

by Seasoned Cookery School 

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 50g butter
• 25g caster sugar
• 120ml milk
• 75g sultanas or cherries

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/200C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
2. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Cube the butter and work into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add in the sugar and sultanas or cherries and mix well.
4. Make a well in the centre and add all of the milk.  Mix together roughly to a dough using a table knife.  There are a couple of secrets to the perfecdt scone and the first is to not handle the mixture too much.  Bringing the dough together with a knife will stop you manhandling it.
5. Tip out this rough dough onto your work surface and, using your hands, bring together lightly into a more consistent dough.
6. Instead of using a rolling pin and battering the life and lightness out of your dough pat it down into a rectangular shape about 1" thick.
7. Make a small pile of flour on the work surface by the side of your dough and put your cutter into it wriggling it about a bit.  I use a 2" plain cutter - I like my scones to be of a decent size - no piddling little measure here!
8. Cut out the scones using only a downwrd press - DO NOT TWIST THE CUTTER - twisting the cutter when forming the scones seals the sides together and they won't rise.  Flour the cutter between each cut on the little pile of flour as before.  
9. Glaze the tops with egg wash.
10. Prepare a baking tray by greasing or use a non-stick liner.
11. Bake them in the oven for 12-14 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.