Mike and Nigella's Scones

The other day at church, a family from England hosted the regular morning tea and brought out the best scones I had ever eaten. On congratulating Mike that they were a million times better than the ones I had tried the month before, he quickly passed on the praise for his recipe to The Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson. They were completely different to the bready, dense ones I had made so I quickly made note of the need to document the recipe so that any future attempts at scones would be sorted. As I was first introduced to these by Mike, I feel he deserves some credit for this recipe, along with Nigella.

Ingredients:

500g plain flour
1 tsp salt

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

4.5 tsp cream of tartar

50g cold, unsalted butter, diced

25g vegetable shortening in teaspooned lumps (copha)

300mL full cream milk

1 large egg, beaten

6.5cm/2.5inch crinkle-edged round cutter and lightly greased baking tray

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan forced.

2. Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Rub in the butter and shortening until it goes like damp sand.

3. Add the milk all at once, mix briefly - briefly being the operative word - and then turn out to a floured surface and knead lightly to form a dough.

4. Roll out to about 3cm thickness. Dip the cutter into some flour, then stamp out at least 10 scones. You get 12 in all from this, but may need to re-roll for the last 2.

5. Place on the baking tray very close together - the idea is that they budge and stick together on cooking. Brush the tops with the egg wash. 

6. Put in the oven and cook for 10 minutes until risen and golden.

Optional: Add 75g of raisins or sultanas for fruit scones at end of step 2.

Note: Always eat freshly baked, preferably still warm from the oven, with clotted cream and jam.

Recommended jam: Bonne Maman Blackberry Conserve available at Coles/Woolworths.

***The Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson***