Tea Dance & Scones

Definitely time for tea.  Dancing and tea are a great combination...

I'll have Rooibos Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong with a slice of lemon, in a dainty Grafton tea cup from the late 1930's. 

Scones, such a classic, actually quite hard to get right... I've adapted a recipe from the Rose Bakery Breakfast Lunch Tea book that had too much baking powder (I could taste it when they were cooked, not nice), I've also added a more wholemeal flour option and an egg...

When they're done, I like to literally slab butter on, I particularly like The Lincolnshire Poacher's salted butter, preferably some home made jam, citrus curd (The Ludlow Jam Pan, now available in Selfridges) or a fruit compote...  

 

 
Scones

Makes 16 smaller, 12 medium scones

500g plain flour, extra for dusting (Can use 250 plain, 250 wholemeal)

2 handfuls of wholemeal/wheatgerm flour (optional)

1 very heaped tablespoon baking powder

2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar

100g raisins/sultanas

1 teaspoon salt

110g unsalted butter, cut into pieces. extra for greasing

1 egg and milk to make up 300ml liquid

1 egg for eggwash & granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 200C

Sprinkle a baking tray with flour.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together, add the wholemeal/wheatgerm if using.  Rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (works fine in the magimix). Now add the raisins, if using.

Place in a large bowl, make a well in the centre of the dried ingredients and pour in the 300ml liquid, combine quickly with a fork.  Finish by hand but don’t overwork the mix, bring together into a soft, but firm dough.  It should not be sticky at all, add more flour if necessary.

On a lightly floured surface, pat/roll the dough to about 3cm think and cut out with a 5cm cutter or cut into 5cm squares with a sharp knife.  Brush the tops with eggwash and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place the rounds on the baking sheet, fairly close and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.  If they stick together take them apart gently when they have cooled.

(If you have the choice bake in a conventional oven on one tray, rather than in a fan, it dries them out...)