Warm, crumbly scones, studded with juicy sultanas and served with clotted cream and jam, a true British delight. The method is super simple and scones can be frozen baked or unbaked (and baked from frozen), meaning that if you have last-minute visitors, you can always have something delicious and freshly baked on hand.
Time to prepare : 20 minutes
Time to bake : 15 minutes
Makes : 12 scones (depending on the size of your cutter)
Ingredients
120g sultanas
400g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
90g butter, chilled*
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
40g caster sugar
170ml milk*
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
You can use a straight or fluted scone cutter, I like these (for both options of cutter and a variety of sizes). I usually use the blue 5.5cm one.
Method
Put the sultanas into a small bowl and cover with boiling water, set them to one side. This helps to plump them up and stops them from burning in the oven.
Pre-heat a fan oven to 200ºC and grease and line a baking sheet(s).
Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add to the flour.
Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture (or pulse in a food processor) until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in the sugar and stir to mix.
Whisk together the milk, 1 egg and the vanilla in a jug with a fork.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the whisked wet ingredients. Drain the sultanas, discarding any excess water, and add these in too. Use a spoon to bring everything together into a dough. The dough should still be quite sticky.
Lightly dust a work surface (or silicone pastry mat) with flour and tip out the dough. Gently knead the dough into a ball, adding more flour if it's too sticky. Then use your hands to pat it out into a rectangle, roughly 4cm thick. Dip the scone cutter into the flour, then cut rounds pushing the cutter straight down (don’t twist it into the dough if you're using a scalloped/fluted cutter). Place each scone upside down on the prepared baking tray (to get a nice flat top). Reshape any leftover dough and continue cutting until it is all used. You should get 12 scones depending on the size of your cutter.
Beat the remaining egg and use a pastry brush to glaze the top of the scones for a shiny, golden top once baked. Try not to let any drip down the sides of the scones, as this can affect the rise.
Bake for 15 minutes until risen, golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped with a wooden spoon. Move to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, before slicing in half and serving.
Nutritional Information
(per scone)
340 calories
11g fat, 52g carbohydrate, 8g protein
Good to know:
Vegetarian.
To make these gluten-free, use certified GF flour.
I use whole milk for a richer flavour and softer crumb, but you can use whatever milk you prefer.
Use pure butter (sold in blocks) rather than spreadable tubs (which are mixed with oils) when making pastry.
Store baked scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze unbaked scones for up to 3 months in an airtight container. You don't need to defrost them before baking, simply add 8 - 10 minutes to their bake time.
Freeze baked scones for up to 3 months by wrapping them tightly in cling film and putting in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Defrost at room temperature for 2 - 3 hours.
To make these plain scones, just skip the sultanas, you don't need to change any of the other ingredients.
You can use other dried fruits such as chopped dates, blueberries, cranberries etc. and/or for a zesty twist, add the grated peel of 1 orange or lemon.
You can soak the sultanas in fruit juice eg. orange or apple for even more flavour - or try brandy or rum for a boozy twist.
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