James Martin Fruit Scones Food

BETTY'S OF YORK TEA ROOM FAT RASCALS - FRUIT BUNS/SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 and grease or line a baking sheet, or a cookie sheet.
• Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add the cream and mix to a stiff paste - a firm dough.
• Roll the mixture out on a floured board, to about 1" thickness and stamp out rounds, of about 3" in diameter. ( You can also shape the fat rascals by hand; take a piece of dough, about the size of a small egg, and make a small ball - flatten it out slghtly into bread roll shapes - like a bread bap shape.)
• Arrange them on the greased baking tray and glaze them generously with the beaten egg.
• Then place 2 whole blanched almonds on top with a halved glace cherry for decoration - pushing them down gently into the dough, so they do not fall off during baking!
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have risen and are golden brown.
• Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.
• Store them in an airtight tin for up to 4 days.

IRISH FRUIT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl measure flour, sugar, baking powder.
• Add butter and work with your fingertips until mixture resembles small peas.
• Mix in dry fruit.
• In small bowl mix buttermilk and eggs add to dry mixture.
• Using your hands, form dough into large ball and place on floured surface.
• Knead lightly only few times until comes together.
• Roll out into 1 1/2 inch thickness.
• Cut into 3 inch rounds place on a prepared baking sheet.
• Brush with milk to glaze.
• Bake scones for 20-25 minutes.

FRUIT SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
• Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and sultanas and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
• Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh.