The Ultimate Scone Food

ULTIMATE SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C and lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you're using a non-stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Shoot in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it's a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar.
• Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it. Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round-bladed knife, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding a little bit back in case it's not needed. Using the knife, gently work the mixture together until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough. Work in any loose dry bits of mixture with the rest of the buttermilk. Don't overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.
• Lift the ball of soft dough out of the bowl and put it on to a very lightly floured surface. Knead the mixture just 3-4 times to get rid of the cracks.
• Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip a 5.5cm round fluted cutter into a bowl of flour - this helps to stop the dough sticking to it, then cut out the scones by pushing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of your hand - don't twist it.You will hear the dough give a big sigh as the cutter goes in. Gather the trimmings lightly then pat and cut out a couple more scones.
• Place on the baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze if you wish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, or covered loosely with a cloth for soft ones.
• Serve with strawberry jam and a generous mound of clotted cream (Cornish people put jam first, then cream, Devonians the other way round). Eat them as fresh as you can.

ULTRA-BUTTERY IRISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk milk, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut 10 Tbsp. butter into 1/2" cubes, add to flour mixture, and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-size pieces form with some larger chunks remaining. Add milk mixture and stir with a fork until large clumps form. Gently knead in the bowl until dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 14x8" rectangle, with long side facing you. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a small, microwave-proof bowl in the microwave until softened but not melted, about 20 seconds. Spread evenly over dough with fingertips, then sprinkle currants evenly on top and press to adhere. Fold up bottom third of dough over center, then fold down top third to meet bottom edge, as if folding a letter. Fold in half crosswise, then, using a rolling pin, gently flatten into an 8x4" rectangle.
• Cut dough in half lengthwise and in quarters crosswise to form 8 even squares. Transfer to prepared pan, spacing 2" apart. Sprinkle tops generously with demerara sugar and lightly with flaky sea salt.
• Bake until scones are golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter bubbles, remove from heat and skim off foam from surface. As soon as the scones come out of the oven, lightly brush tops with clarified butter, leaving behind white solids in bottom of saucepan. Cool scones on sheet on a wire rack and serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

THE ULTIMATE COCONUT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 450°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
• In a food processor pulse together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly. Add the shredded coconut and pulse 2-3 times, just to mix.
• Pour into a large bowl and add the coconut milk; using a spoon mix together until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Press into a 9-inch circle and cut into eighths. Place on baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms are just slightly browned. Serve hot with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk, with a pat of butter, or just plain!

THE ULTIMATE SCONE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220*C (425*F) Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt.
• Shoot in the butter,then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go.
• Stir in the sugar.
• Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it.
• Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding some back just in case it's not needed.
• Gently work the mixture together with a knife, until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough.
• Work in any loose dry bits of the mixture with the rest of the buttermilk.
• Don't overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.
• Lift out the dough and knead gently 3 to 4 times to get rid of any cracks.
• Pat the dough gently to a thickness of no more than 1 inch.
• Dip a round fluted cutter into bowl of flour and cut out the scones by pusing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of you hand.
• Don't twist it.
• Gather the trimmings, pat lightly and cut into more scones.
• Place onto a baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze with some milk if you wish.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until risen and golden.
• Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, covered loosely if you prefer soft ones.
• Serve with strawberry jam and a generous mound of clotted cream.