Nana's Buttermilk Scones
Every Sunday morning Nana had a tray of these cooling on the windowsill before anyone else was awake. They are tall, soft in the middle and golden on top, and they never last past lunch.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450 g) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 60 g cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup (250 ml) cold buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) cold milk, plus extra for brushing
Method
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and put a baking tray inside to warm.
- Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Make a well in the middle. Pour in the buttermilk and most of the milk, then cut it through with a butter knife until just combined. Add the remaining milk only if the dough is dry.
- Tip onto a floured bench and pat gently into a rectangle about 3 cm thick. Do not knead. Overworking makes tough scones.
- Cut into rounds with a floured cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
- Place on the hot tray with the sides just touching, and brush the tops with milk.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until risen and golden. Wrap in a clean tea towel to keep the crust soft.
Serve warm with jam and thick cream. Makes about 12.