I actually made, and photographed, these scones last night but I decided to make them again today because I wasn’t 100% satisfied with yesterday’s results. (Luckily I only had to re-photograph the final product.)
I have always liked this recipe but I decided it just to change the recipe just a bit – and I’m really pleased with “My Second Attempt” as these scones are g.o.o.d. !! (Last night the dough was too sticky to work with, and I thought the scones had too much salt and not enough sugar.)
Actually, scones aren’t meant to be overly sweet. Usually the sweetness comes from the jam & clotted cream the British like to spread on their scones. I LOVE British High Tea. Here’s a typical High Tea menu – finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and preserves, plus cakes and pastries. All accompanied, of course, by a variety of teas.
Here’s a true story concerning scones. On one of my trips to London I stopped at a lovely but very casual tea room. While I was perusing a case full of various types of scones, I mentioned to the gentleman helping me, “There’s a fly in the case”. “Excuse me madam, those are raisins”. “OK”, says I, “Well then, one of your “raisins” is flying”.
Oven at 400F Bake for 14 – 16 minutes
Ingredients
Feel free to add some chocolate chips or raisins…. but I wouldn’t recommend adding any “flying” raisins !!
- 1 cup chopped pecans – or walnuts (You’ll need a bit of chopped nuts to sprinkle on top once the scones are cooked.)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup – or maple-flavored syrup
- 2 cups …..PLUS 2 Tbs. flour ++ The amount of flour used depends on many factors. You many not need the extra 2 Tbs.
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking POWDER
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking SODA
- 1/3 cup butter, softened just a bit
- 3 Tb. milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tb. distilled white vinegar – Don’t skip the vinegar !!
- 1 cup confectionary sugar
- 2 Tb. milk
Mix 1 cup chopped pecans with 1/4 cup maple syrup in a small bowl, and set aside. In a large bowl mix 2 cups PLUS 2 Tbs. flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp. baking POWDER, 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. baking SODA. With a pastry blender – or two knives used scissor fashion – cut in butter until the flour mixture resembles tiny crumbs.
Add the pecan/maple syrup mixture to the bowl and throughly mix in.
In a small bowl, mix 3 Tb. milk, 2 large eggs and 1 Tb. distilled white vinegar.
Stir milk/eggs/vinegar into flour/pecan mixture until ingredients are just blended. You don’t want to over mix and have the scones come out tough.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Turn out dough onto a dish towel which has been sprinkled with about 3 Tbs. of flour. 
Sprinkle a bit of extra flour on the dough. Gently knead the dough about 10 times. (To knead, push dough with the palm of your hand, turn dough a 1/4 turn and continue.)
Form dough into a ball.
Pat dough into a circle of between 6 1/2″ to 7″. The circle should be about 3/4″ high. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 equal pieces. If the knife sticks a bit, just CAREFULLY rub a bit of flour on it between cuts.
Place the triangles on an ungreased cookie sheet. Don’t worry if they get slightly out of shape…
Place the cookie sheet in the center of your oven. Bake for 14 – 16 minutes.
++ If you’re not sure the scones are done, here’s what I did…. I took the cookie sheet out of the oven, cut into one, saw it was still “doughy” inside and put the scones back into the oven for 3 more minutes.
Remove scones from cookie sheet and allow to cool on a cooking rack.
Glaze – it’s not necessary to make a glaze – or to sprinkle on some chopped pecans, but the scones not only look prettier – I think they actually taste better!!
In a small bowl mix 1 cup confectionary sugar with 2 Tb. milk. If the glaze is too runny, add a bit more sugar….. if it’s too thick – add a teeny, teeny bit of milk until you reach a good consistency. You can drizzle the glaze over the scones with a spoon OR you can fill a small baggie with the glaze, cut of a VERY TINY hole in one corner and then squeeze the glaze out just like a pastry chef! Sprinkle on some chopped pecans, make a cup of tea – or a have a big glass of milk and ……. Enjoy !
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