Buttermilk scones

These scones are light and delightfully textured, although you have to smother them with red berry jam and lightly whipped cream to enjoy the full effect. For some reason sour buttermilk, (or milk with some yoghurt added), makes better scones.

Credit: Gourmet Farmer

• makes

  12

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 40 g butter, chilled and cut into little bits
• ¾ cup buttermilk, chilled

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a largish bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until no large bits remain. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Make a well in the centre of the ingredients and add the buttermilk. Mix with a spoon and finish mixing with your fingers when it gets too stiff. Knead just until it comes together more will make the scones chewy.

Sprinkle flour on the bench, then using floured fingers press the dough out to about 1 cm thick. Cut into rounds using a sharp 4 cm cutter. Place close together on a lined baking tray. Squash the bits that weren’t cut into another 1 cm high mound and cut again and repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 10–15 mins or until lightly coloured on the top and bottom.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.