Our queen of baking, Sue Lawrence, has come up trumps again with this fab buttermilk scone recipe – we might not make buttermilk, but our unsalted butter goes brilliantly in this recipe.
10 minutes
15 minutes
Easy
8
Step 1
Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl then stir in the sugar.
Step 2
Rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs then make well in the centre.
Step 3
Add the buttermilk with a tiny splash of milk ( to loosen the thick buttermilk) drawing the flour into the liquid.
Step 4
Mix together gently with a table knife. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Step 5
Bring the dough together gently with floured hands then tip onto a floured board.
Step 6
Pat out gently to a thickness of about 2.5 cm / 1 “ then cut into scones using a fluted or plain cutter.
Step 7
Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and bake near the top of a preheated oven (230C / 450F / Gas 8) for 12 – 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and eat barely warm with clotted cream and jam.
Top Tip:
When making scones, use the lightest touch possible: if you knead vigorously, you develop the gluten and end up with a tough scone.
This recipe isn’t a compromise; it is something that is better gluten-free than it could ever be with flour. The heavenly, crumbly, rich texture of this zesty cake isn’t held together by the intermolecular shackle that is gluten.
This pudding’s better than any you’ll find in the shops; tinned or otherwise. And you don’t need any special equipment – find any old dishes made of probably – ovenproof material, grease ‘em up and hey: a handy pudding mould.
Remember those days when you had to choose between chocolate or cheesecake? Flora Shedden and quark have just put a stop to them.
