English Scones

These are a product of the colonies, and eaten with butter, preserves, and whipping cream. You split them into, like you would a biscuit. You are trying to eat with manners. The butter and jelly are spooned on the plate not the scone, and the scone is sliced in half, not torn in half with the hands. Only enough butter is spread on the scone, as is enough for one biteful. If cream is served, it is spooned, only on top of the preserves, not dipped. (The English children must have been very refined if they followed all of this at the dinner table)

Yield: 16 triangles

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (before adding this ingredient, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• Butter, preserves and whipped cream (the kind you put on dessert) for accompaniment (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour a baking sheet or line with baking parchment.
2. Mix together dry ingredients with buttermilk that has the eggs whisked into it.
3. Halve the dough and knead gently 2 form to balls of dough.
4. Flatten each of the two dough balls to a thickness of 1/2 to 1 inch.
5. With a sharp knife, cut each round into 8 triangles.
6. Arrange on prepared baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
7. Serve hot with butter, preserves, and whipped topping if desired.
8. Arrange on prepared baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Flour cutting edge of knives so they will release quickly.

Orange or Lemon Scones: With buttermilk-egg mixture add 1 Tbsp. grated orange or lemon rind.

Raisin Scones: With buttermilk-egg mixture, add 1 cup dark or golden raisins, dried currants or a combination.

Spice Scones: To dry ingredients, add 1 tsp. of equal amounts of spice mixture: ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. NOT one teaspoon each; one teaspoon of a mixture of all this

Whole Wheat Scones: For the 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, substitute a blend of 2 cups all purpose flour with 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Increase butter to 3/4 cup.

By Jess

From Thrifty Fun