Buttermilk Scones

Buttermilk Scones

This is a fantastic Delia recipe I adapted a few years ago. It’s my go-to recipe for scones – the buttermilk makes them that bit more delicious! Easy peasy to make, and always a crowd pleaser, serve with jam and clotted cream for a proper British treat!

You will need:

  • 2 or 3 tbsp of buttermilk (and a little extra for glazing)
  • 225g of self raising flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 75g butter (at room temp)
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 1 large egg

1) First off, the oven needs to go on at 220°c (gas mark 7 or 425°F).

2) Now stick an apron on. This can get a little messy if you get over excited.

3) Next sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl and rub in the butter. You should use only your finger tips for this, and do it lightly so you don’t end up with great clumps of scone mix everywhere. Be patient – you want it to look like bread crumbs.

4) When it is granular and fine, add the sugar and mix well.

5) In a jug, whisk the egg lightly with 2 tbsp of the buttermilk.  Add slowly to the scone mix. Delia recommends using a palette knife for this but a rubber spatula will also do the trick. When it comes together, use your hands to finish off the dough. It should be soft and not too sticky. If it’s too dry, add more buttermilk, and if too wet, add more flour.

5) Now place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out so it’s at least an INCH thick. I know it looks ridiculously thick, but trust me, you want your scones to have a bit of body.  Your scones won’t rise if you don’t have an inch.

6) Cut your scones out with your choice of cutter, and make sure you tap the dough out and NEVER twist it. This will totally ruin the effect if you are using a fluted scone cutter.

7) Repeat until all you have are trimmings, then squish those together and start again. This recipe makes about 10 scones, so go forth and get squishing!

8) Place your scones on a baking tray and lightly brush with buttermilk. Bake them for 10-12 mins and serve with cream and jam!

Buttermilk scones with raspberry jam and Cornish clotted cream!

SNEAKY TIP:

If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can always cheat. One way is to get double cream, put it in Tupperware and then shake it hard for 5-10 mins. You will get a yellowy glob forming in the middle and a milky fluid around the outside. The milky stuff is buttermilk, and the yellow bit is butter! You can use the butter too, just keep it in an airtight container and use within three days.  Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to normal milk. This will cause the milk to thicken and curdle, but it still works (even if it looks a bit off!).  You just need one cup of milk and a table spoon of lemon juice/vinegar. Combine them and set aside for 5-10 mins somewhere warm. Once it thickens up, use as normal! Enjoy!

 

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