- Makes 12 medium (6cm diameter) cheese scones - Ready in 45 minutes -
If you are in a rush when making these scones, they will probably turn out to be the best you ever make. Scone dough is very prone to being 'overworked' so do as little as you possibly can to them.
Gather together…
420g self-raising flour (NOT sieved).
2 tsp baking powder (sieved).
Pinch of ground black pepper.
110g cold butter (in 0.5cm x 0.5cm x 0.5cm cubes).
100g coarsely grated mature cheddar cheese (this will go into the scones).
200ml milk / oat milk (cold from the fridge is fine).
50g coarsely grated mature cheddar cheese (this is for topping the scones).
Serve with...
Butter.
Get cooking…
1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 C (200 C fan) or Gas 7.
2. Sprinkle 1 tsp of flour onto a medium-large oven tray, or use a reusable silicone liner (such as an Eco Living reusable silicone baking sheet).
3. Put the 420g of SR flour in a large bowl (no need to sieve it).
4. Sieve in the 2 tsp of baking powder (so it doesn’t stay in unpleasant-tasting lumps) and add the pinch of ground black pepper, mix well.
5. Add the 110g of COLD butter cubes and rub them in (partially) with clean finger-tips, for about 30 seconds. Then use a handheld stick blender (or a food processor) for about 30 seconds to turn the mix to breadcrumb-like consistency.
6. Add the 100g of coarsely grated mature cheddar cheese (you might as well grate the extra 50g needed for the top now and set it aside for a little later). Stir a couple of times to coat the 100g of cheese in flour.
7. Add the 200ml of milk. Stir well with a metal spoon for 30 seconds until the mixture is combined and there are no dry, floury patches.
8. With clean hands, gather together the mixture into a ball, still in the bowl.
9. Use 3 tbsp of flour to dust a clean worksurface. Knead the ball of dough VERY minimally, i.e. fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and repeat, do this only 4 times in total i.e. just one complete circle of kneading.
10. Flatten out the dough gently (using your finger tips) until it is 2 ½ cm thick - no need for a rolling pin. Lift the edges of the flattened-out dough up slightly, then lay them down again, to ‘relax’ the dough
11. Dip a 6cm diameter circular metal cutter in flour - I use a fluted cutter for a more traditional look. You could use a drinking glass if you don't have a cutter. Punch the cutter straight down through the dough to cut out as many rounds as you can.
12. Re-gather the dough, give it one very quick knead so the previously-discarded bits stick together and cut out more scone circles. Repeat one last time to use up the last of the dough. You must try and handle the dough as little as possible, or your scones will be tough due to overworked gluten.
13. Place the dough circles onto the flour-dusted / silicone lined tray, they can be quite close together as they don't spread out much.
14. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with the 50g of coarsely grated mature cheddar cheese.
15. Bake the scones for 15 - 20 minutes until well-risen and golden brown. Don't over-bake them or else they will be dry and unpleasant.
16. Immediately remove the scones from the baking tray and cool them on a wire rack (or else they will become soggy).
17. Cool them completely before storing in an airtight container (or they will 'sweat'), but they are delicious eaten warm with butter.
18. These scones really do need to be eaten on the day of baking - they are rather dry if eaten the next day (or if they are defrosted after being frozen), but if this is unavoidable then they can be perked up by gently microwaving them immediately before serving.
Adapted from a Mary Berry Scone Masterclass on an early episode of The Great British Bake-Off.