Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Scones : Free And Easy Bake-Along #27, Theme : Scones

It's Bake-Along time! Scones is the theme that Lena from Frozen Wings chose for our Bake-Along No. 27. I love eating scones, especially when they are warm minutes after baking. I thought of making some sweet scones as well as savoury, I've already chosen the recipes, but then that did not happen! The weather is really hot, and much as I love to bake, somehow the weather puts me off from baking more often than I would have liked. Many a times when  butter was taken out earlier, my recipe book, opened on a chosen recipe, I would stand right in my kitchen, sweating and irritated, and decided to call it quits! Hot and humid! Excuses, but really, all I could think of was a shower, switch on the air-cond and relax with a cup of tea and some homemade bakes, but of course, there is no homemade bakes, when the baker call it quits! :)

So my plans for sweet scones and savoury ones remain as my plans, for the time being! I made these more than a week ago, would you call this savoury, this is definitely not sweet, as there's no sugar in them. Savoury? I will just describe them as original!


These lovely scones is from one of Nigella Lawson's earlier cookbooks "How To Be A Domestic Goddess"


These scones uses lots of baking soda and cream of tartar. I almost did not make these, just because of the amount used for these two ingredients. But then Nigella Lawson describes these as the best scones she's ever eaten, so I was rather curious! According to her, the cream of tartar contributes to the lightness of the scones. And Nigella advises to eat this freshly baked, while still warm from the oven.


These scones are lovely. They are indeed buttery, light and tender, and I like eating these plain while still warm. 


Spread it with your favourite jam or clotted cream as suggested by Nigella, or just ate them plain like I did with a cup of tea. I reheated some leftovers by wrapping them in aluminium foil for about 8-10 minutes in the oven and they will be soft again. Do not throw away the aluminium foil, simply wipe them clean and reuse again for heating other bakes like breads and cakes. Reuse and recycle!


To take a look at all the lovely scones, please visit my baking buddies, Lena from Frozen Wings and Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids, and our baking friends who has baked along with us in the linky below.


Photobucket


For our next Bake-Along, we shall be baking Coconut Checkerboard Brownies from Bon Appetit Desserts, page 589 or you may get the recipe here. The link for this bake will be open from 11 July to 17 July. Please do join us, everyone's welcome!


Lily's Scones
(adapted from "How To Be A Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, in teaspooned lumps
1-1/3 cups milk
1 large egg, beaten, for egg-wash

2-1/2-inch crinkle-edged round cutter
1 baking pan, lightly greased

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Rub in the fats till the mixture goes like damp sand. Add the milk all at once, mix briefly - briefly being the operative word - and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form a dough.
Roll out to about 1 to 1-1/4 inch thickness. Dip the cutter into some flour, then stamp put at least 10 scones. You get 12 in all from this, but may need to reroll for the last 2. Place on the baking sheet very close together -the idea is that they bulge and stick together on cooking - then brush the tops with the egg wash. Put in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until risen and golden.
Always eat freshly baked, preferably still warm from the oven, with clotted cream and jam or, my favourite, Thunder and Lighting, which is clotted cream and molasses.

Variation :
Add 3 ounces of raisins or golden raisins for fruit scones, or, something I'm keen on, use the same amount of dried sour cherries, with or without the finely grated zest of 1/2 an orange. To make cheese scones, add 3 ounces of sharp Cheddar, grated.


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34 comments:

  1. i like ur 'original' scones, sure it go well with any filling . Your scones so buttery, light and tender ....1st time i come across scones with added cream of tartar ..i gonna try this .. hopefully next round i can bake a soft scones like yours :)

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  2. Hey you were right about the amount of baking soda and cream of tartar. But the scones look really good. I just saved this recipe for my future use. Good job on the baking. Colour and everything is really nice. Thanks!! :-D

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  3. Joyce, they look so warm and fluffy, I would love to have one for breakfast now!

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  4. Another great scone recipe I found! Can't wait to try all :D bookmarked. Thanks!

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  5. Joyce, yr scones are looking good too... Looks moist and soft. I love them:)TInk my "over" browned... :-p

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  6. Those scones look very delicious. Great bake along!

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  7. those look delicious! i wish gluten was nonexistent! :)

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  8. Scones with jam and clotted cream are always great British tea time classic. Joyce, I can see that you must be feeling very "Nigella" baking this... *wolf whistle* LOL!

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  9. Yea, the weather is killing :( Your scones looks fluffy and delicious with the mouth-watering jam :) Nice one !

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  10. Keeping them not sweet or savory, surely makes them so versatile. You can use either sweet fillings or egg or ham filling. What a great recipe!

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  11. I'm so overdosed with many many types of scone today. My guess, original flavour is still the best all time :)

    Luckily I'm now full after lunch, otherwise....

    I better don't come in during tea time :)

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  12. Look at your scones. It is so soft inside like bread. Must be tasty. I want to try your recipe some day.

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  13. Ya, some like it in its original state, so do I too when I ran out of ideas, I go back to the original versions:D Yours look like a real English scones, so fluffy and light!

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  14. Fantastic theme chosen. Now I can drool on all creations.

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  15. hey, i was laughing at your comments. YOu really always make me laugh. Oh, so you didnt make the savoury ones? i'm still dragging myself to bake these 2 days. That's one great looking scones joyce..how nice if we can savour all the scones baked by each one here!

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  16. Looks really light and dreamy! Perfect for breakfast or tea. Can I have a couple now?? Nom nom nom....heehee. ;))

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  17. can't believe it's time for bake along already! i've been way too lazy to fire up the oven because it's been so hot but your scones look so tempting! love how they even LOOK fluffy!

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  18. These scones looks perfect, fluffy & soft. And it's great that they can be savory or sweet! Awesome! I've never make scones before but this Bake Along event is a pretty good reason for me to try to make some myself. Any reason is a good reason! Especially when it comes to goodies! LOL I've had one delicious scone on my mind that I've tasted at Starbuck. Hopefully I can make it in time before the deadline which is in 5 DAYS!!!!!!

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  19. Oh Joyce, your scones look great, light, soft and fluffy...love the pictures, they sure look very tempting :)
    Hope you are enjoying your week!

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  20. I like your original scone, can enjoy with many type of jam.,

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  21. These really sound delicious. I love Nigella's recipes and respect your judgment. That leads me to believe these are really special. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  22. I doubt there's anything I like better than scones. These look lovely and light. When I make them, I love adding fruit, both dried and fresh, but these are simply perfect as they are.
    Really like your Picnic game recipe...it's such fun to see what everyone's going to make, isn't it? Thanks for visiting!

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  23. I'm in scone heaven! Mmmmm :)

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  24. I love a good scone recipe and these certainly fit that bill. Plain is also delicious so that you can fill them with whatever your heart desires.

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  25. eileen@hundred eighty degreesThursday, June 28, 2012

    Hi Joyce, your scones look fluffy. I am sure it taste good without jam. Yummy!

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  26. i can have a few of these!! look so fluffy! with homemade jam and of coz thickened cream...ohhh la la!

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  27. Yum your scones look really soft and fluffy! Sadly mine didn't turn out very well... oh well, at least next time I'll be able to try yours! ;)

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  28. Scones with butter and jam...very British :D I would love that for tea time.

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  29. Your scones are delightful!

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  30. These scone really look delicious with or without jam/cream ! You're right about this very hot weather , I had to turn on the aircon in the bedroom and actually did the mixing of my biscuits there ! lol

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  31. Hi. I m looking for a Malaysian sweet snack recipe yuen koe.

    Any idea how o make it. Tx. Jin

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