Spiced Fruit Scones

Cranberry Spice Scones hot from the oven!

This is a great simple scone recipe that I got from the National Portrait Gallery of Scotland website; I guess it was so popular in their cafe that people asked for the recipe.

A plateful of hot scones waiting for butter

I don’t know, to me they look like just a basic recipe but they are very good!

Golden brown on top

You can make them with dried cranberries as I did, or use the ‘usual’ raisins which would be just as nice!

I can't wait to tuck into these, the tea is ready!

A very easy recipe to make, I added the measurements in parenthesis to make it easier for those who like to use ounces.

225g self raising flour (8 oz)
55g butter, softened (2 oz)
25g caster sugar (1 oz or 1 ½ T)
125g sultanas, raisins or dried cranberries (scant 1 c)
1 teaspoon mixed spice (this is what made them different, I guess you could use cinnamon but mixed spice was marvelous!)
150ml milk (5 oz or between 2/3 – ¾ c)
pinch of salt

Preparation method
1.    Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2.    Mix together the flour, mixed spice, salt and rub in the butter.
3.    Stir in the sugar & sultanas or dried cranberries and then the milk to get a soft dough.
4.    Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. (** see notes below) Pat out to a round 2cm thick.  Use a cutter to stamp out shapes and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
5.    Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. (or just do like me, put a tiny bit of milk in a cup and just use your fingers to pat the milk on the tops, it’s so easy and quick.) Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.
6.    Cool on a wire rack

** If your dough seems too wet and sticky, just sprinkle a liberal amount of flour on the counter, dust the dough in the bowl with flour and gather it into a ball lightly. Put on the counter and with floured hands pat it out a bit.

** Knead it by folding it over and patting it out and repeat a few times. Don’t let it stick to the counter, just lift it up and flour the counter more. It should only take you a couple minutes to do this, make them often and you’ll get to be a real expert!

** DO NOT TWIST your cutter when you cut them out, just push straight down. If you have a good cutter it should be sharp and solid, I can tell the difference now that I have a ‘proper’ one!

** oh yes another tip, scones like to be near their neighbor while baking, put them about 1″ apart on the greased sheet.

** I also think these would be marvelous with dried Apricots!  Next time…

Ready and waiting for butter!

They’re great served warm with soft butter, honey or jam and clotted cream if you’ve got it!