Scone Recipes

A cup of Tea served with freshly baked Scones is a real treat. Scones are light and delicious served warm, straight from the oven. Scones are traditionally served with Butter, Jam and Clotted Cream. 

Date Scones 
One of my personal favourite recipes for 'yummy' Date Scones.
I've learnt from experience to make a double batch when baking these Scones as they disappear so quickly.

ingredients
makes 12
2 Cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 Cup chopped Dates
2 Tblspns Butter
2 Tblspns Caster Sugar
1 Egg
3/4 - 1 Cup of Milk
1/4 tspn Salt

method
Preheat oven to a hot 200°C 

Sift the Flour and Salt into a bowl. Rub the cold Butter into the Flour. Add the chopped Dates.

Lightly beat the Egg. Add the Sugar and Milk to the beaten Egg and stir until the Sugar is dissolved.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the liquid, mixing to form a moist dough. Roll out on a floured surface, cut into Scones and place on a floured baking tray.

Brush tops with a little beaten Egg and Milk (reserve a tiny amount from your previous steps) Bake in your hot oven for 12 - 15 mins. Allow to cool wrapped up in a tea towel.

Pumpkin Scones
Pumpkin gives a truly delightful taste to Scones. The Pumpkin adds a richness and moistness which is just delicious. Of course they are also that very pretty pale orange Pumpkin colour.

ingredients
2 Cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 Cup cooked, mashed Pumpkin
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tblspns Butter
1 Egg
1/4 tspn Salt
1/3 Cup Milk

method
Preheat your oven to a hot 200°C

Cream the Butter and Sugar. Add the Egg, beating well. Add the mashed Pumpkin.

Sift the Flour and Salt twice and then add alternately to the Scone mix with the Milk. You may or may not use all of the Milk. It will depend on the moistness of the Pumpkin. You should end up with a moist dough.

Knead slightly on a floured surface and then roll out to a 1 inch thickness. Cut out and place on your greased and floured baking tray. Brush the tops with a little milk. Bake in the hot oven until just browned. Wrap in a tea towel after removing the Scones from the oven. 
 
Girdle Scones
Try something new and delicious, by making your next batch of Scones in this traditional way. Girdle scones are sometimes known as Griddle Scones because of how they are cooked.

ingredients
2 Cups Self Raising Flour
1 Tblspn Butter
3/4 Cup Milk
1/2 tspn Salt
Flour for rolling

method
Preheat your griddle. Sift the Flour and Salt into a bowl. Rub in the cold Butter. Make a well in the centre and pour in all of the Milk. Mix with a knife using a cutting motion, until you have a moist dough.

Take Tablespoon sized pieces of the Scone dough. Roll in flour and form a circle with each piece about 1cm thick. Cut each circle into quarters.

Sprinkle a very light dusting of Flour onto your preheated griddle. Place your Scone pieces onto the griddle. Allow to cook long and slow. The Scones will slightly rise and brown on the underside. Turn over each one and repeat for the other side. When cooked, wrap in a tea towel to cool.
 
The History of Scones

From the Gaelic word Sgonn (pronounced like gone), Scones originated in Scotland. The meaning of the word Sgonn meant a shapeless lump of dough.

As Wheat never grew very well in the Scottish Highlands, Scones were originally made from Barley or Oat Flour.

The first Scones were cooked over a fire on a griddle or 'girdle'.

As time passed, the Scone dough was eventually baked in a circular shape and cut into quarters - or farls- similiar to the delicious scones that we all know and love today.