Simple Scottish Scones

In the US, a scone is a crumbly, sweet pastry with fruit or sometimes chocolate in it.  The proper Scottish variety is nothing like that.  In fact, a true British scone is more like what we call a biscuit over here.  It's light and crumbly, but not particularly sweet.  Of course, this is remedied with liberal quantities of jam and either butter or clotted cream.  They're also very quick and easy to bake, making them the perfect treat to accompany your afternoon tea.





Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 tbs sugar
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425F.  In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.  Rub in butter by hand or using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles sand.  Mix in the sugar, and then the milk with a fork.  This should make a slightly sticky dough.  If the mixture is too wet, just add a little flour.

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick.  Cut into circles with a cookie cutter, or into squares or triangles with a butter knife.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the scones have risen and are slightly golden.  Allow to cool slightly.

To serve: split the scones in half using a knife and spread with butter or clotted cream and jam.  Enjoy fresh from the oven with a cup of black tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Makes 6-8 scones.


Brief notes on butter:

First, while butter is the traditional accompaniment to scones in Scotland (and is absolutely delicious), clotted cream is also popular. Clotted cream is close in texture to butter, but tastes more like heavy cream, and is originally from the southwest of England, particularly Devon and Cornwall.  You'll be able to find it at some specialty stores in the US, but it will be expensive.  Apparently it can be made at home, too, though I have yet to try this.  On the whole, unless you're hosting a fancy tea party, I'd recomend butter.

Second, which butter to use?  Well, as I explained in my post on Scottish shortbread, I use Kerrygold Irish butter because it and other European style butters have more fat, and therefore more flavor, than American butter.  It's more expensive than store-brand butter, but after one bite of softer, more flavorful baked goods, your taste buds will definitely thank you!  That being said, American butter will also work, if you don't want to spend the extra money.