Classic scones

Type: Bread, scones
Prep time:  10 min
Cooking time: 10 min

Quick and easy to make scones that tend to work out wonderfully every time. They take about 15-20 minutes to make including everything, so you can make them when someone pops over with a short notice.

Ingredients:

• 350g wheat flour , plus more for dusting
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 85g butter , cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoon caster sugar
• 175 ml warm milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• squeeze lemon juice
• beaten egg , to glaze

How to:

1. Heat oven to  200 C.
   Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix.
   Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
2. Warm the milk (can be done in the microwave or on the stove) till it is warm, not hot.
   Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Yes the milk will separates and it looks icky – that is how it should look.
   Put a baking sheet in the oven so that it is hot when you need it.
3. Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife – it will seem pretty wet at first.
4. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Knead the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother.
   Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
5. Take a glass and dip it into some flour. Cut into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. By this point you’ll probably need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Continue till you are out of dough.
6. You can brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
   They need to sit quite close to each other, perhaps even touching to make them raise properly.
   I normally don’t course I am lazy – but milk works as well for glassing.
7. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top.
8. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream or butter and cheese.
9. If you want to freeze them do it once they are cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/fan140C/gas 3) for a few mins to defrost.