Scones with whipped cream and raspberry or strawberry jam are absolutely delicious, a real treat and they take about 15 minutes to make. Plus they’re made with staple ingredients that you surely already have in the pantry.
A great snack for the kids when they get home from school, especially during the winter months, or if your friends suddenly pop over.
As a young girl I loved baking cakes however scones were certainly a favourite and I’d quite often make them on Sunday afternoons, when the whole family was home. My nonna Pina utterly adored them, and so did I, served hot, straight out of the oven with double cream, jam and a steaming cup of tea.
Scones originated in the UK and more precisely in Scotland in the 1500’s. It is believed they were named after the Stone of Destiny in Scotland where Scottish kings used to be crowned. They were originally made with oats and baked on a griddle rather than in the oven as is the custom today. Also they were made in a round and then cut into triangles.
In Australia, scones are popular and served as a Devonshire Tea in cafés. Being part of the Commonwealth it’s no wonder they became a family favourite in Australian kitchens. Our scones are cut into small rounds and placed together on a baking tray to make small individual quick breads.
The original scone is a plain baking good made with flour and baking powder. However, these days many use self-raising flour as I did too.
However, with my intolerances, I have gone back to basics and have used spelt flour and baking powder and a non-dairy butter (home-made vegan butter – a no fuss recipe made in 10 minutes and ready to use after about 2 hours in the refrigerator).
Scones can be sweet or savoury. Pumpkin scones made with mashed cooked pumpkin are popular or with sultanas, currants or chopped dates, and they can also be made with herbs and served instead of bread.
In this recipe using a mix of vegetable milk and water makes the scone fluffier and lighter.
By the way, because of the small amount of fat used they are usually best eaten the day they are made.
They literally take about 15 minutes to make. Served with your favourite jam and cream, non-dairy in my case! Place sifted flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix. Rub in the non dairy butter using your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Combine the almond milk and water together, make a hole in the centre of the flour mixture, and pour them in. Work dough quickly. Turn onto a floured surface and lightly knead. Pat or roll out the dough to approximately 2cm (about 3/4 inch) thick, using a 5cm (2 inch) cutter, cut roundsSCONES
Ingredients
Instructions
