Cheese and Onion Sour Milk Scones

Don't you just love it when you can use up lots of different ingredients in one fabulous recipe?   Inspired by my mother's "triage" shelf in her fridge, I had assembled some ingredients in need of an idea, including sour milk and small chunks of cheese.  Enter the Choir Tea!  Choir tea is really important, as it boosts voice, morale and sugar levels in between rehearsal and concert.  It is a vital part of the event, and must not be missed (basses are especially partial to Choir Tea).

Breaking with my usual tradition, I opted for savoury cheese and onion scones, with sour milk, thus using up two kinds of cheese at the same time.  They went down a treat, and I might have to make them again.....   Actually, I didn't use a spring onion, but snipped the top off a larger onion still growing in the veg patch!  No food miles involved....  This recipe is slightly different from the usual scone one, as I was told that you should ideally leave the scones to sit for 20 minutes before baking, to improve the rise.  That is indeed true (but if you can't wait, don't worry).

Cheese and Chive Sour Milk Scones

Cheese and Onion Sour Milk Scones

8oz/225g plain flour  

2 ½ level tsps baking powder

½ level tsp salt (the Parmesan is quite strong, so you can use a little less)

2oz/50g butter or margarine at room temperature

4oz/110g mixed strong Cheddar cheese and Parmesan, grated

Small handful of chopped green bits from a spring onion  (or chives)

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

Heat the oven to 200 deg C. 

In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until it looks 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/85g of the cheese and mix it in lightly, plus the chopped spring onion/chives.   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.   

Put the scones on a baking tray, brush with milk and sprinkle on the remaining cheese.   Leave them for 15-20 minutes before cooking.  Makes approx 12-15 small ones.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes until well risen and golden.  Eat several hot with butter immediately (quality control), then leave the rest until cold and serve with more butter….