Cheese Scones

This is meant to be a puddings blog, but these little cheese scones are so good, I simply couldn’t leave them out!   Cheese scones are very quick to make, even quicker to eat.  Whilst staying with my in-laws recently, I whipped up this batch, and had severe difficulty in keeping enough to take a photograph.  This is my mother-in-law’s recipe, and the scones turn out light and well-risen.   It doesn’t use mustard, unlike some recipes, so, if you like your scones with a bit of a kick, add 1tsp mustard to the mixture before the milk.  Gluten free flour works well in scones - just add a little more milk and don't roll them as flat as standard scones. 

Cheese Scones

Cheese Scones

8oz/225g plain flour  

2 ½ level tsps baking powder

½ level tsp salt

2oz/50g butter or margarine at room temperature

4oz/110g strong Cheddar cheese, grated

¼ pint/5floz milk, with extra for the tops

Preheat the oven to 230 deg C. 

In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until they look like breadcrumbs.  The best way to do this is to use only your fingertips, as lightly as possible, lifting the mixture as you rub it in to keep it airy.   Add 3oz/80g of the cheese and mix it in lightly.   Add the milk and mix the dough together quickly until it makes a single lump.  

Turn it out onto a floured board and knead it very lightly before patting it (or rolling it) to about ½”/1.5cm thick.   Cut small scones using a plain cutter.   If you dip the cutter in flour, the scones won’t get stuck when you release them.   Try not to pull the cutter, or the scones will be oval.   Warm the baking tray in the oven. 

Put the scones on the warm baking tray, brush with milk and sprinkle on the remaining cheese.   Makes approx 12.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes until well risen and golden.  Eat with butter.   They are good cold, but you won’t ever have any left…