Wholemeal scones

Superfood snack

Give a Superfood touch to this long-time kitchen staple by using wholemeal flour. For an extra energy-boosting start to the day, why not mash a banana and spread it on a warm scone?

Makes six scones

Ingredients

50g plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
150g plain wholemeal flour
50g of butter
50g of caster sugar
125ml of milk

Method

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl
2. Blend in the wholemeal flour
3. Cut the butter into small cubes
4. Rub this into the flour mix with your fingers until the mix is powdery
5. Mix in the sugar, then add enough milk to make a dough
6. Place the dough on a worktop that’s been dusted with flour, so it won’t stick
7. Knead the dough with the hands until it’s smooth
8. Make it a round and flat shape, then cut 6 triangles in it
9. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, 230°C/450°F/Gas mark 8
10. Serve and eat as soon as possible.
Start here.



Ingredients:

Directions:

Brown Scones

Essentially the same as the White Scone recipe but with Wholemeal flour and little extra milk. Great when just out of the oven with a little real butter.

This recipe makes 18-20 scones using a 72 cm (3inch) cutter(*)

Ingredients:

• 900g (2lb) wholemeal flour
• 170g (6oz) butter
• 3 free range eggs
• pinch of salt
• 55g (2oz) castor sugar
• 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
• 500ml (16.5floz) approx. milk to mix

(*) I don't have a fancy cutter - I use a glass!

For glaze:

• egg wash (see below)

Directions:
First preheat the oven to 250C/475F/gas 9.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead lightly, just enough to shape into a round. Roll out to about 22cm (1inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones. Put onto a baking sheet – no need to grease. Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.

Scones / Tips

Scones are easy to make but there are a few things you can do to make them even better....

The secret of success:

Use a large wide bowl.

Sieve the flour at least once. Use butter, it makes all the difference to the flavour. Rub the butter in coarsely. If the shortening is rubbed in too finely the scones will be dense and heavy. Resist the temptation to use a food processor, even though its fast - the scones will be close and leaden.

Add all the liquid at once and mix quickly in a full circular movement from the centre to the outside of the bowl, in ever increasing concentric circles. When you get to the outside of the bowl (a matter of seconds), the scone dough is made.

Handle gently, don’t knead, just tidy and roll or pat into a round or square, stamp out as many scones as possible first time, re-rolled dough always results in tougher scones.

Roll or pat to one inch thick, this really matters. If the dough is too thick, the scones will be cooked on top and underneath but still doughy in the centre, or they may topple over while baking.

If the dough is rolled too thinly, the proportion will be wrong - too much crust and not enough crumb. Put immediately into a fully preheated oven and bake.

Cool the scones on a wire rack as soon as they are baked. Freshly baked scones are best.

White Scones

I remember coming in from school and there were always warm scones as a snack. With as knob of butter... delicious.

This recipe makes 18-20 scones using a 72 cm (3inch) cutter(*)

Ingredients:

• 900g (2lb) plain white flour
• 170g (6oz) butter
• 3 free range eggs
• pinch of salt
• 55g (2oz) castor sugar
• 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
• 450ml (15floz) approx. milk to mix

(*) I don't have a fancy cutter - I use a glass!

For glaze:

• egg wash (see below)

Directions:
First preheat the oven to 250C/475F/gas 9.

Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead lightly, just enough to shape into a round. Roll out to about 22cm (1inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones. Put onto a baking sheet – no need to grease. Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve split in half with home made jam and a blob of whipped cream or just butter and jam.


Finally, see my Tips for even better scones....