Mary Berry Buttermilk Scone Food

MARY BERRY'S FRESH BERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220ºC/425ºF.
• Sift flour, salt and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and add the chopped butter.
• Rub butter into the flour mix using your fingertips until a fine breadcrumb consistency.
• Beat egg and buttermilk with a fork.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, pour in egg mixture and with a round bladed knife mix into a rough dough.
• If you need a little extra buttermilk, add at this stage.
• Gently add berries, but try not to break them up.
• Turn out onto floured board and work gently .
• Using a 6cm round cutter, cut scones out and place on floured baking tray.
• Lightly brush the top of the scones with extra buttermilk and sprinkle with soft brown sugar.
• bake for 12-14 minutes or until a good golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack until ready to serve .
• Serve with butter, whipped cream or clotted cream.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse until you can't feel any lumps of butter (or rub in butter with fingers). Pulse in the sugar.
• Gently warm the buttermilk (don't throw away the pot) and vanilla in a microwave or pan. Using your largest bowl, quickly tip in some of the flour mix, followed by some of the buttermilk mix, repeating until everything is in the bowl. Use a knife to quickly mix together to form a dough - don't over-mix it.
• Tip onto a floured surface and lightly bring together with your hands a couple of times. Press out gently to about 4cm thick and stamp out rounds with a 6cm or 7cm cutter. Re-shape trimmings, until all the dough is used. Spread out on a lightly floured baking sheet or two. Add a splash of milk into the buttermilk pot, then use to glaze the top of each scone. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden and well risen.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. Add currants, if desired.
• Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade.

GINGERY BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Sieve the flour, ginger and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut into the mixture using a round-ended knife. Then use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the caster sugar and mix to combine.
• Make a well in the middle, add the buttermilk and stir in using the knife again. Once it comes together, use your hands to bring the dough into a ball. Tip out onto the work surface and very lightly knead for 30 secs until almost smooth.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll or flatten the dough into a square roughly 2cm thick. Using a long knife, trim the edges, then cut the dough into 6-7cm squares. Arrange the squares on a baking sheet, brush the tops with the beaten egg white, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 10 mins until well risen and golden brown. Serve warm with Rhubarb & ginger jam and clotted cream.

CHERRY SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the flour, ½ tsp salt, bicarb and butter into a bowl and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar.
• Quickly mix in the buttermilk, a splash of milk, vanilla and cherries and bring together to form a soft dough. Press out onto a lightly floured surface, to about 3cm thick. Cut out with 5cm cutters.
• Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet, brush with the remaining milk and bake for 12-15 mins until golden and well risen. Serve with clotted cream and jam.

BASIC BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Add the butter, cut into small pieces and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Tip in the buttermilk and mix lightly and quickly to form a soft dough. Knead very briefly, then roll out to 2cm thickness and cut into sixteen 5cm rounds.
• Put on a baking sheet (no need to grease) a little apart, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until risen and pale golden.

BUTTERMILK & SULTANA SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and lightly flour a large baking sheet. Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar and ½ tsp salt.
• Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it is completely incorporated, then add the sultanas. Stir the buttermilk and milk together, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir in with the blade of a knife to make a soft dough.
• Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and pat out with your hands until about 4cm thick. Don't knead the mixture as this will make a heavy scone, and if the mixture seems a little too wet, leave for a few mins, as gluten-free flour requires more liquid than wheat flour. Stamp out rounds using a 7cm floured cutter, then place the scones on the baking tray, spaced apart. You will need to lightly squash the dough trimmings together to give you 8-9 scones in total. Brush the tops of the scones with milk, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10-12 mins until pale golden. Serve with butter and jam, or push the boat out with clotted cream and strawberries, too. Best eaten on the day they are made.