SCONE…

What is a scone? An eggless plain cake made with self raising flour, butter/ marg, sugar and baking powder using the rubbing in method, then made into a paste with the addition of milk. Cut into small rounds and baked in a hot oven. Scones should be eaten fresh, split and buttered or spread with jam and whipped cream. Scones are also called English scone, hot biscuit. Scones are named after the original oatmeal and sour milk cake made in Scone, Scotland. SCONE CAKE MIXTURE (1) 225 gm of self raising flour, 6 tbs of butter/ marg, cut into small pieces, 15gm of castor sugar, pinch of salt, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 50 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray / sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour into a bowl rub the butter/ marg with your fingertips, lifting your hands high to incorporate air into the mix. The mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and salt. Stir in the combined egg and milk mixture. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly. Shape the dough into a circle to a thickness of 2 cm/ 3/4". Do not be heavy handed, scones need a light touch. Cut into 6 cm/2 and 1/2 " rounds with a floured biscuit cutter. Repeat the process until all the dough has been used. Place the scones on the lined oven sheet/ tray and brush the tops with a little extra milk. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with thickened cream and jam. SCONE CAKE MIXTURE (2) Ingredients.....55 gm of butter, diced and chilled, 450 gm of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 dsp of baking powder, 2 tbs of castor sugar, 250 ml of milk. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line a baking tray/ oven sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Rub the butter/ marg into the flour mix with your fingertips, it should look like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Quickly mix with a round bladed knife to form a smooth dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work bench and knead lightly Follow the above directions for shaping the dough and scone cutting. There are many variations for scone recipes, the two recipes above are the oldest I can find for plain scone cakes.