I hosted afternoon tea today for a few friends after I finally aced the strawberry jam recipe. I also served up cherry scones, with a big pot of earl grey tea.
It's a really cheap way to spend an afternoon, and the sun was shining through my french windows today so it even felt a little bit like summer.
I used a really simple recipe, from "The Dairy Book of Family Cookery" - a classic book that's been in our family since the 80s. I think the old books are always the best, whether it's in cooking, sewing or general housekeeping.
Cherry scones
50g English butter
225g self-raising flour
25g caster sugar
50g glace cherries
150ml milk (personally I found this to be too much)
1. Rub the butter into the flour in a bowl until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs; stir in the caster sugar
2. Stir the cherries into the mixture until evenly distributed
3. Mix to a soft dough with about 150ml milk, kneading lightly until just smooth
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to about a 2-cm thickness. Stamp out crescent shapes using a 6.5-cm fluted cutter, kneading and rerolling the dough until it is all used up. *Handle the mixture as little as possibly for perfect scones*5. Place the scones on a preheating baking sheet, brush tops with milk and bake in the oven at 230C (450F/mark 8) for 10-12 minutes; cool on a wire rack
The book says this makes 14, but it's more like 8.
My scones were a little over-cooked on the outside, but perfect in the middle. I love using china crockery like this too, because it inexplicably makes everything taste better.
I've now signed up for Cordial and Grace's patchwork course which starts February 28th. There are still places available, go to: http://www.cordial-and-grace.co.uk/ I'm already keeping my eyes peeled for fabric cuts for my design.