Best scones I have ever tasted!

I have written about scones before, but did also mention that it was my Mom's recipe and when I wrote about them, she had baked them, not me. I have since baked them myself and trained them with overwhelming success and enjoyment. I have very slightly amended the original recipe I posted and have to urge you to give them a try.

The secret is to follow the recipes instructions to the letter. Read the recipe from start to finish, do all the preparations necessary, use measuring cups and spoons, set the timer on your oven so you don't over bake them.

It is actually not a lengthy preparation or baking process (you just need to get organised first) and aside from the jam and cream you put on top, they are low in both sugar and fat. So if you value my judgement at all and if you have eaten too many bad scones in the past, let this recipe rekindle an age old tradition for you.

Do it, I certainly am on this rainy cold Cape Town weekend!

Colleen’s Scones

Serves 6

2 cups of flour (bread or cake), sifted

1 Tbsp of sugar

½ tsp of salt

2 tsp of baking powder

75g of butter, cold and cut into very small cubes

1 large egg

¾ cup of milk (a little more if needed)

2 tsp of lemon juice

Pre heat your oven to 190C˚ and place the wrack in the middle. Grease and flour a baking sheet.

Ensure that all the wet ingredients are as cold as possible and get everything ready before you start. Whisk together the milk, egg and lemon and keep it in the fridge until ready for use.

Sift together your dry ingredients. Add your cold butter and lightly work it into the flour by rubbing it between your fingers. Lift the mixture in your hand high above the bowl letting the crumbs fall down as you rub them between your fingers (this adds air into the mixture). Don’t over rub the mixture, the butter should not melt but rather just be in very small crumbs covered with flour.

Add the milk mixture and combine the ingredients with a regular dinner knife, cutting and mixing until the ingredients are just combined. Add a dash more milk if the dough isn’t combining sufficiently.

Scrape the mixture onto the baking sheet and using a floured spatula or your finger tips, lightly flatten the mixture to about 2 cm thick. Then score (cut) the mixture half way through (1cm) from the top using a knife to form squares of about 3 - 4cm.

Bake this for 15 – 20 minutes until just baked through and golden brown on top. Check the done’ness with a skewer or small knife.

Serve immediately if possible with your favourite jam and lightly whipped cream with a dash of vanilla and sugar added.