Apple and date scones
( SERVES 12 )
3/12/2011
Smart scones with interesting fillings feature at many cafés. One great variation is a feta and onion jam number - many a café owner will tell you these never have time to get cold.
Ingredients
(You can click on ingredients to see more related recipes)
| 3¼ cups | Standard flour |
| 4 tsp | Baking powder |
| ½ tsp | Salt |
| 60 g | Butter |
| 2 tbsp | Sugar |
| 1½ cups | Buttermilk |
| ½ cup | Dates |
| 1 tbsp | Brown sugar |
| 1½ tsp | Cinnamon |
| 1 | Apple |
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC.
- Sift the first three ingredients.
- Grate in butter. Add sugar. Mix with knife.
- Pour in buttermilk and with knife, blend completely, taking care not to over-work the dough, but mix into a ball.
- Roll out the soft dough on a lightly floured board. You need a rectangle - 1.25cm thick and approximately 34 x 24 cm.
- Cut dough in half. Spread one half with dates (chopped), sprinkle over the brown sugar and cinnamon, then grated apple.
- Place the other half on top, press firmly together and cut into 12 squares.
- Place on a cold, ungreased baking tray and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. You want some colour on top. Cooking times will vary according to your oven.
- Use quality flour.
- Baking powder needs to be stirred. All the good stuff in baking powder settles in the base of the packet, so stir it up. And if a moth flies out, buy a new packet!
- Have the butter very cold - hard from the fridge is ideal, then grate it into bowl.
- Stir ingredients with a knife, keeping hot hands away.
- Use a good hot oven. Positioning the scones close together helps them keep moist. Fan bake works well.
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