LIGHT, SWEET SCONES

So, I have come to the realization that I am a bad blogger.. It's been 2 months since my last post. Oh man. I could reel off my excuses, but really, who cares?! I can say however, that I'm really going to try harder with this blog. It's not that I don't love it, I do. I'm just very lazy, and at the end of a loooong day of classes and studying, I don't want to do anything but curl up with a cup of tea and switch off. Uh oh, that was an excuse wasn't it? Let's change the subject ;)

This is another of Rachel Allen's recipes. Her gorgeous books are an addiction of mine, and by far the most used in my kitchen. Don't you love opening a cook book and having flour fall out, seeing milk splashes, lemon stains and greasy butter? It's the sign of a well loved book in my house! 

These scones are so delicious and it's so quick and easy to whip up a batch, they're constantly being made around here! Serve with some yummy homemade jam and for an extra special treat, add a dollop of whipped cream, oh my. 

Light Sweet Scones

Makes 10-12 scones

500g (1lb 2oz) plain flour

1 rounded tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 rounded tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp sea salt

125g (4 1/2oz) unsalted cold butter, cubed

25g (1oz) caster sugar

1 egg, beaten

275ml (9fl oz) buttermilk or milk

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix well. 

Set aside about a third of the beaten egg and combine the rest with the buttermilk, then add to the flour mixture and mix briefly to combine into a moist dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface and knead ever so slightly to bring together, then press or roll out a thickness of 2cm. 

Using a 6cm cutter, cut out approximately 12 scones and place on a floury baking tray. Add about a teaspoon or so of buttermilk to the remainder of the beaten egg to make an egg wash. 

Brush the scones with the egg wash (and dip the tops in sugar if you wish) and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Eat as soon as possible! 

* It's really yummy to add raisins or sultanas to the mix, which i forgot to do this time, oops! Just add 100g (3 1/2oz) to the dry ingredients before you add the liquid. 

You could also try the same quantity of dried blueberries, dried cranberries or even chocolate chips!