Scottish Scones by Orangette

By

  • 1

Ingredients

  • 1/2 1/2 to c milk (I’ve used skim with no adverse effects, although it might be best to use one with more fat and body)
  • 1 1 1 egg
  • 2 2 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 2 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 3 3 3 Tbs sugar (I often choose the finely milled raw cane sugar—hippie sugar, as I call it)
  • to additions of your choice, to taste (see above for ideas; if you use berries, make sure they are frozen)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat together the milk and the egg and then set aside.
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture, working until you have no lumps bigger than a pea.
Add the sugar and whatever additions you choose, and stir or toss to mix.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dries, reserving just a tad of the milk-egg mixture to use as a glaze.
Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it no more than 12 times. [Apparently, twelve is the magic number here; surpass it at your own risk.]
Pat dough into a round approximately ½-inch thick, and cut into 8 or 12 wedges.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat, if you have one. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges.