Baking in the afternoon: cheese scones

I agree with Felicity Cloak in The Guardian – I love scones. I also happen to live in a cheese scone obsessed city (see this article from 2019 here). People at work discuss where they get their favourite cheese scone, and every year Pravda Café’s World Famous (in Wellington) Cheese Scone Class sells out on Wellington on a Plate (I was lucky to go in 2019). One of my favourite cafes, Floriditas, even has a recipe for their cheese and rocket scones on their website. The cheese scone is part of this city’s identity!

While I do eat cheese scones pretty regularly, because what is more comforting than a warm scone with butter, it had been a while since I had made some at home. I decided to remedy that situation on Saturday, and baked a small batch for us to enjoy with an afternoon cup of tea.

There are only two of us, so making a large batch of scones isn’t a good idea. If I freeze leftovers, I find them a year later – you know what I mean! Luckily my old Be-Ro baking books (I used the 1989 edition, the 1974 one is so old the measurements are only in ounces….) came to the rescue with a small batch recipe that gave me 4 big scones and 1 little one (for the baker of course). The recipe is very simple, very easy, and very delicious if you use a good strong cheddar cheese. At least, that is my opinion – other people may use different cheese!

For a small batch you need:

• 150g self-raising flour
• Approximately 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and English mustard to taste (I had run out, but the cheese was strong enough for the scones to be good without)
• 25g butter
• 75g grated cheese
• 1 egg
• 30ml milk

Mix flour and seasonings, rub in the butter. Stir in the cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on the tops. Mix to a soft dough with the egg and milk, reserving a little for the tops. Roll out to about 1cm thick and use whatever scone cutter you like – or make them square or into triangles if you like. Place on a greased baking tray, brush with egg and milk, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in a hot oven, 220C, for 10-15 minutes. Lovely served slightly warm with butter and a pot of tea.

This is only one, simple recipe, but there are many more out there, some with chilli, some with added paprika, just find the one you like, bake it and enjoy. The Guardian link above has a recipe you may want to try.

Footnote 1: I don’t have US measurements for these, but am sure there is a recipe out there that does.

Footnote 2: the Be-Ro book my mum had can be seen on that link to the Be-Ro site above- the dark red one on the left which was full of black and white photos of rather unappetising baked goods.

I had some problems with this post so hope it appears in the feed!

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