Author: Susan Murray, www.awomancookosinasheville.com
Ingredients
2cflour
2tbspsugar
4tspbaking powder
½tspsalt
4tbspcold butter
2/3cbuttermilk
½craisins or currentsoptional
1egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk
Strawberry jam
Clotted Cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degree and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt once or twice in the bowl of a food processor to mix. Add 4 tablespoons cold butter cut in eight small chunks and pulse 7-10 times until the mixture looks like sand.
Transfer the flour and butter mixture to a large bowl and slowly stir in the buttermilk. Add the dried fruit, if using, and stir to mix them in. The dough will be sticky.
Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured bowl and, using a gentle hand, knead the dough about ten times until it comes together. You can add a little flour if need be but be careful as flour will make the dough heavy.
Roll out the dough or use your hands to press it out into a circle about 1 ½ inches to 2 inches thick.
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the scones. Push the cookie cutter straight down into the dough and don’t twist it. Twisting the cookie cutter will stop the scones from rising properly.
Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the egg and milk mixture.
Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.
Serve the scones with good strawberry jam and clotted cream.
Recipe Notes
Note: Clotted Cream or Devon Cream can be found in specialty stores and grocery stores with international food sections. If you can’t locate any you can substitute Mascarpone Cream or even whipped cream.