Sweet Scones

A friend phones and asks if she can pop in to see you; she says she'll be with you in half an hour. Your cookie jar is empty, you don't have time to nip to the shop but you know she'll be expecting something with her coffee. The quick and easy answer is to bake some scones. Warm from the oven with butter and jam, they'll make your guest think you're the perfect hostess!

To ensure your scones are always wonderful:

• handle lightly and don't over-knead;
• have a hot oven ready for baking as soon as the scones are ready.

Simple scones

• 8 oz self-raising flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1 level teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ oz margarine
• ¼ pint milk
• 1½ tablespoons caster sugar
• Beaten egg or milk to glaze

Preheat the oven to 220oC, gas mark 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder. Rub in the margarine until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

Make a well in the centre and, using a knife, mix in enough milk to give a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Roll out to a thickness not less than ¾" and using a cutter, cut into rounds.

• Press the cutter down cleanly; don't twist it round or you'll end up with strange-shaped scones!

Knead the dough trimmings together and repeat the rolling and cutting. Place the scones on the baking sheet and brush with beaten egg or milk. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with fresh butter.

• Eat scones as fresh as possible.
• In the unlikely event of any being left over after the first day, you can toast them.

For Fruit Scones, add 2 oz dried fruit such as sultanas or raisins with the sugar. Don't add more than this proportion of fruit as the dough won't be strong enough to hold it and you'll end up with flat scones!

Wholemeal Scones, made with all wholemeal flour tend to be heavier and flatter than their white flour counterparts. To get around this, try using half and half or 6 oz wholemeal to 2 oz white.

Devonshire or Cornish Cream Scones?

Devon claims the cream scone as its own saying that Cornwall has the pasty to its name, but some Cornwalians might argue with that! These days you'll find cream teas, comprising scones, usually two, with cream and strawberry jam, along with a pot of tea, being sold all over the country. For a truly authentic taste it has to be clotted cream, preferably from the West Country, and home-made jam.

How the cream scone is assembled

Again natives of Devon and Cornwall will argue over this!

In Devon, they put the cream on first. A layer about ½" thick is just right. Top that with a teaspoon of jam and you have a Devonshire cream scone.

In Cornwall, they'll spread the scone first with butter, followed by jam and topped by cream.

Whichever way you choose to eat it, the taste will be sublime!

Lemon Scones

• 8 oz plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 oz margarine
• 1¼ oz Barbados sugar
• Rind of 1 lemon, grated
• ¼ pint milk

Preheat the oven to 220oC, gas mark 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Sieve together the flour, salt, cream of tartar and bicarb. Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs then add the sugar and lemon rind.

Make a well in the centre and, using a knife, add enough milk to give a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Roll out to ¾" thickness and cut into rounds.

Place on the baking sheet and brush the tops with milk. Cook for 10-12 minutes until well-risen and golden-brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve with fresh butter or lemon curd.

Treacle Scones

• 8 oz self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 level teaspoon baking powder
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
• 2 oz butter
• 1 oz caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons treacle
• ¼ pint of milk

Preheat the oven to 220oC, gas mark 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Sieve together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Rub in the butter and then add the sugar. Stir in the treacle and enough milk to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead lightly. Roll out to a circle of ¾" thickness and cut into wedges.

Place on the baking sheet and brush the tops with milk. Cook for 10-15 minutes until well-risen and golden-brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm with fresh butter.

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