Easy No Fail Scone Recipe

Sunday afternoon, a time to relax, do a little baking and get ready for the week ahead.

Stew was out yesterday, hence my prawn dinner (as they aren’t his favourite), I dropped him at the station around 2:30 and picked him up this morning. It was quite nice having an evening home alone, the boys and I actually watched Home Alone last night. Well Mr 7 and I did, Mr 3 (as anticipated) was asleep within the first 15 minutes! Why there was, what I think of as, a Christmas film, on in August I have no idea! But Mr 7 and I snuggled down on the sofa and watched a very young Macaulay Culkin outwit Joe Pesci. It maybe a bit slap stick and not a hit with critics, but for a 7 year old watching it for the first time, it was a perfect Saturday night. Bit of a late bedtime but I knew we’d be having a quiet day today, and save for a couple of times when I had to remind him to watch rather than ask questions, he was as good as gold staying up over an hour and a half past bedtime. (The adverts seriously changed my estimation of when it would finish! 😳 )

The weather is gorgeous today. The sky is blue, the few clouds are fluffy cotton wool ones and I am enjoying the last throws of the Australian winter. You can feel the weather changing and I know that soon I’ll be able to pack away my pumps and get my feet back in my thongs. Love my collection of thongs 🙂

So because of the gorgeous late winter weather and a late night last night (for all 3 boys at least 😉 ) we are having a lazy day together, just sat chatting whilst the boys are interspersing, Lego, playing on the Wii and running about outside. I am thinking of pouring a Gin and Tonic…is 4pm too early? 😳 I actually found a recipe for a mint and cucumber G&T the other day….I am undecided whether it will be a super yummy refreshing alternative or such a waste of gin that I want to cry. Think I will defer to my in-laws here. Jennie what do you think? Helen, worth a try? or you dear readers, what do you think?

Today’s baking agenda is filled with scones, two versions, both sweet. I make scones for the boys a lot, a nice big batch that I freeze as soon as they are cool and add still frozen to their lunch boxes, guess I am lucky they enjoy them like a cake, as wrapping up a jam and cream covered scone wouldn’t go well. With this in mind I have reduced my recipe today, as I understand that not everyone wants 24 scones in the freezer 😉 This is a great, tasty, basic scone recipe, perfect for wiping up for a super easy afternoon tea.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 8

• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 25g caster sugar
• 50g butter (salted)
• 150ml whole milk
• 1 beaten egg for glazing

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan forced/Gas mark 7
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar.
3. Stir well with a fork.
4. Cut the butter into small cubes.
5. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and using your fingers mix together to create a breadcrumb texture.
6. Add the milk slowly and mix with your hands to form a soft smooth dough.
7. Lightly flour your board and roll the dough out until it is 2cm thick.
8. Use a 5cm cutter to cut out the scones. I like to use a fluted cutter. But this is personal preference. Either way don’t ‘screw’ or twist the cutter, as this can ‘seal’ the edges of your scone and stop it rising.
9. As you run out of dough, collect the scraps up and re-roll and continue cutting.
10. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
11. Brush the top of the scones with the beaten  egg and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.