This is a basic recipe and can be modified by adding berries, nuts and other flavours to suit individual tastes. I love to cut these scones in half and fill them with butter and honey orblueberry jam. Yum!
2 cups plain flour 1/4 cup fine caster sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes 1 large egg 1/2 cup heavy cream (or if using milk 1/4 cup only) 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water, beaten ( for brushing the top of scones) Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix. Rub the butter into the flour with finger tips until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the sugar. Beat the egg and add with the cream (or milk). Stir the mixture gently to combine. It will be lumpy. Turn out dough on a surfce dusted with flour. Add more flour to hands and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Turn dough upside down to flour underside too. Pat down. Roll dough to a thick half an inch (2 cm). Use a scone cutter or biscuit cutter (circular metal with a sharper edge on one side). Cut circles of dough and place these on a greased tray lined with baking paper. Brush the tops with the beaten egg yolk mixture. Bake in oven 200 C. For smaller scones, bake 12 minutes. For bigger scones bake 16 minutes. Serve with butter, jam or honey.
Everything's better with a cup of tea.