Chef Martin Anderson
Well after last week’s wee rant I’ve calmed done and on the request of one of my Snapchat followers,( add me @cheftothestars ) we’re going to make scones, simply scones to be exact!
Scones are wonderful things there are plain , fruit , cherry , treacle , coconut , cinnamon , wheaten , gluten free , bacon , bacon and cheese , just cheese , cheese & chive , smoked salmon & dill ……..do you see what’s happening here?
Scones are very versatile , as long as the main ingredients are cooked or cook quickly then the sky’s the limit on the flavours you can use , even fresh chilli can be added !
Scones can be eaten first thing in the morning , as a mid day treat with jam and cream , as part of an afternoon tea (posh scones ) , they can be eaten before you go to bed ( a sneaky treat ) or as I’ve discovered they can also be consumed after your lunch in place of a desert and there are several well-known sporting members of the community who indulge in this treat and they know who they are and are great customers & supporters of mine .
I’m not a scone fan in fairness but I do love making them and even though I’m not a baker I do enjoy seeing the final result served with fresh cream & homemade jam , rhubarb & Ginger or gooseberry are my favourites , #justsayin ! I might do a recipe for jam soon actually .
As with all baking it’s very important to use good ingredients. Have a good oven , good equipment , proper facilities for cooling the scones down ( wire rack ) and of course they have to be served correctly , another very important thing is that they are fresh!
I’m always amazed at the best before dates on packets of scones.
There is a way a scone will last for more than 24hrs, 48hrs at a push after that it’s lights out for scones , no amount of microwaving , freezing before they go stale.
Warming in an oven or just bluffing it will ever replace the taste of a fresh warm scone , gently sliced in half , real butter melting on it , a smear of jam and a dollop of cream.
So let’s start with the flour , I only use good quality self-raising flour , I find that of you buy value flour then you get inferior quality scones .
In the recipe below I use margarine , again a good quality named brand is best , you may also use butter if you wish but make sure it’s well chilled , soft butter will not rub in properly and you’ll end up with more of a short ( as the technical name is ) scone mix and it will be difficult to work with .
I also add a little baking powder this is a sneaky way to ensure your scones are light and well risen and yes I know you are using self-raising flour but give it a go and you will see a difference .
Fresh eggs are a must and well chilled also , this will help the mixing process and also help the rising of the mixture , the only time I use eggs at room temperature is when I’m making omelettes or scrambled eggs (another chef’s tip)
For the milk or butter milk use full fat , what’s the point of using skinny milk when you are going to lash them with jam & cream it defeats the purpose , buttermilk will give your scones a distinctive flavour even if you are making sweet scones.
In the recipe I gave said add up to 50g of an extra ingredient , this us where the magic happens .
The recipe below is for plain scones so the extra ingredient can be cherries , dried fruits etc you decide . If adding smoked salmon or savoury ingredients make sure they are cooked or will cook quickly . If adding cheese make sure it’s grated nicely in cubes and when adding cinnamon just a punch will do .
Leave out the sugar and add chopped sundried tomatoes and chopped fresh coriander for a wonderful scone which can be served with soup or chowder.
You may even add chopped garlic and a little parsley to make a great wee scones to serve with pate , as I’ve said the sky’s the limit .
When it comes to the size of your scones I would rather serve 2 medium than 1 large scones. I do this because the scones need to cook quickly and the larger the scone the more difficult it us to tell if they are cooked and anyway they look better as bite size and are easier to eat .
So that’s it. Get up a half an hour earlier like I do and get baking the aroma of fresh scones in the kitchen – it’s a wonderful thing and well worth the effort .
I will do another bread recipe next week and we will talk and share ideas for jams.
Simply scones
This is a basic recipe to which you may add a variety of ingredients.
You may add up to 50g of extra ingredient.
You will need.
250g self raising flour
½ level tsp. of baking powder.
Pinch of salt.
45g of margarine.
1 table spoon of castor sugar.
1 large egg.
100ml of cold milk or buttermilk.
A little milk to glaze.
Method.
Pre heat your oven to 180c/gas mark 4.
In a large bowl sieve the flour salt and baking powder.
Add the margarine and mix with your hands until all the margarine is incorporated and looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar and or you extra ingredient.
Beat the egg and milk together and add to the flour mix a little at a time until dough is formed, do not over mix as the more work you give it the less it is likely to rise.
Dust your table with a little flour and roll out the mix to an inch thick. Cut with a pastry cutter a glass or cup gathering the trimmings and making more scones.
You may shape the mix with your hands and simply cut the mix into diamonds or squares.
Place the scones onto a greased tray and glaze with a little milk and bake for 20-25 minutes.
When cooked place on a wire rack and leave to cool eat while still warm.
Serve with homemade jam and some whipped cream.
