Date And Walnut Scones Food

DATE AND WALNUT SCONES

Steps:

• Sieve the flour and salt (if using) into a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, mixed spice, dates and walnuts. Rub in the cold diced butter until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs.
• Pour in the milk and mix to a soft dough. I'm always cautious of overmixing when making scones so I use my hands and stop mixing as soon as the mixture comes together.
• Tip the mixture out on to a lightly floured work surface and lightly fold the dough over on itself a few times until smooth.
• Pat the dough out into a circle about 1-1 1/2 inch thick. Using your cutter, cut into rounds. Try not to twist the cutter while you are cutting out the scones or the scones will turn out wonky!
• Place the rounds of dough on a baking sheet fairly close together. Brush the top of the scones with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar, if using. Bake the scones for 10-15 minutes or until risen and golden brown on the bottom. Serve warm with butter, honey, jam or syrup.

DATE & WALNUT SCONES

Steps:

• Prehaeat fan forced oven to 180c.
• Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add the dates, walnuts and lemon zest & mix lightly. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and set bowl aside.
• Whisk the milk, cream and the eggs in a seperate small bowl and pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture.
• Using your fingertips, gently draw the flour mixture into the milk mixture to form a soft dough. (Do not overwork the dough or scones will be too tough).
• Tip the dough onto a clean, floured work surface and gently form into a ball. Press dough lightly using fingertips ~ just to flatten dough.
• Gently roll out the dough until 2-3cm thick then using a 5-6cm scone cutter cut the dough into rounds. Place rounds on a non stick baking tray and brush each round with a little milk.
• Bake scones for 20 minutes or until golden.
• Serve warm with favourite topping.

DATE AND WALNUT SCONES

Steps:

• Place the flour in a bowl with the baking powder and mixed spice, stir until well mixed, rub in the butter (or whizz in a food processor).
• Stir in the sugar, dates, walnuts and sugar.
• Pour the milk into a well in the middle of the flour and mix with a palette knife to a soft dough. You may not need it all, add gradually until you have a soft but not a wet dough
• Roll out the dough and using a cutter, cut out 8 scones, re-rolling the dough if necessary. Place on a baking sheet, brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
• Bake in the oven at 220C for about 18 minutes until well risen and golden brown, Cool on a wire rack.

WALNUT SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the flour, baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the chopped walnuts and the milk, mix together using a cutlery knife until clumping together, then tip onto your work surface and squash together to form a ball - try not to work the dough too much or your scones will be heavy. Flatten the dough a little with your hand to make a disc roughly 3cm thick, then use a sharp knife to cut into 6 triangles.
• Transfer to a baking sheet, brush with a little beaten egg, then place a walnut half on each scone. Bake for 15 mins until golden and puffed, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with soft goat's cheese and fig jam, if you like.