I know scones aren’t Italian—indeed they’re not part of traditional Italian cuisine—but a recent high tea with friends (all Italian, amusingly) introduced me to warm scones served with cream, strawberries and jam. They were so good I realized I’d never made scones at home. Being partly Australian, I decided to learn how. After testing recipes, I settled on this simple, reliable version and wanted to share it. These scones are light, tender and perfect with jam, clotted or whipped cream, lemon curd or a fruit curd such as blueberry. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from abc.net.au
Ingredients (makes 6–7):
300 g (10.5 oz) plain flour mixed with 4 tsp baking powder OR 300 g (10.5 oz) self-raising flour
30 g (2 tbsp) butter, cold
1 tbsp caster sugar
180 ml (3/4 cup) milk — or for a richer, denser scone use half milk / half cream
Method:
1. Sift the flour (and baking powder if using plain flour) into a bowl or mixer. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour briefly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Stir in the sugar, then add the milk and mix just until the dough comes together. Avoid overworking the dough.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for a minute or two until smooth but not sticky. Add a little extra flour only if necessary.
4. Pat the dough into a 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick sheet. Use a round cutter (about 7 cm / 2.75 inches across) to cut rounds. Gather scraps, pat slightly thicker and cut remaining scones to maintain lift.
Tip on placement: Arrange scones on the baking tray with their sides just touching for softer sides and extra support. For crisper sides and tops, place them spaced apart. Brush the tops lightly with milk to encourage golden colour.
Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (430°F) for 12–15 minutes, or until the scones are risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool briefly on a rack.
Serve warm. Traditional accompaniments include jam and whipped cream with fresh strawberries, lemon curd or a fruit curd such as blueberry. A hot cup of tea completes the experience.