Absolutely Fabulous Scones (again)

Always Fabulous Scones

Driftway Lane Scones

When I still fairly new to town I was invited to a meeting at a neighbour’s house. My neighbour  entered the room with a plate piled high with freshly baked scones, lightly dusted with icing sugar. I was so impressed and decided that I wanted to be just like her when I grew up (I had since changed my mind and want to be Idina Menzal, but I am trying to let it go).

I think the recipe below came from my neighbour, but the recipe is well known in town and has appeared as ‘Shakespeare on the Sound’ Scones and ‘Tokeneke School’ Scones too. It is so fun to tell people that there is no butter or eggs in the scones,( just a rather large amount of heavy cream).

I have been handing out this recipe from memory for years and my dear American friend Amy quite rightly commented that it really is a biscuit recipe.  This rather appeals to me as I am a Brit passing off a biscuit recipe as a scone, whilst a biscuit in the UK is the name we Brits give to a cookie!

The original recipe calls for each disk to be divided into six, which yields 18. I think eight gives a better size and a very pleasing two dozen.

A word on measurement

Click on the above link for my full observations on the perils of converting cups to ounces.  This recipe works really well for cups. If you can find self raising flour then honestly any cup will do.  I am going to say that in Denmark I am finding a cup of flour is somewhere between 4.8 and 5 ounces ie around 135 – 140 g.  If using ounces add the smaller amount first ie just over 400 grams together with baking powder mixed in if using plain flour.  If the mixture seems too wet and sticky add a little more flour/ too dry a little more cream. You know the drill.

Scones

• 3 cups flour and 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder mixed together before adding the wet ingredients or 3 cups self raising and no baking powder In Denmark if I am using self raising flour I find I need to add a little 1/2 tsp baking powder.
• 1/3 cup sugar/ 21/2 ounces/ 65g or just add a little depending on how sweet your flavor is…bit more for tart blackcurrants, a bit less for strawberries
• 2 cups/ 16 uk fl ounces/480ml heavy cream
• optional 1 cup dried fruit or a good handful! – I use Raisins but you can use cranberries, apricots etc or, if you are my friend Kathy, chocolate chips! Since writing this original recipe I have also discovered that Blueberries or Blackcurrants also work well, and Strawberries are delicious.  Just be careful not to over mix or you will end up with a rather horrible looking scone.

Method

Combine fruit with cream, stir to break up lumps
Combine all dry ingredients. Add cream/fruit and stir until combined.
Knead a few times on a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough into three.
Pat each third into  a round, 3/4 to 1″ thick. Cut each round into eights.

Place scones 1″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 f for 15-20 mins.

Remove and dust with powdered sugar.  As with all scones best eaten quickly,
preferably with jam or lemon curd and clotted cream.

They do not really keep beyond the day of baking,
although I have discovered they freeze well.

They can be frozen fully or part baked. Once defrosted reheat in a moderate oven.