This is a great recipe, especially for us beginner bakers here; regardless of the outcome: slightly under-baked, slightly over-baked or burnt to a crisp we manage to slather them with butter and homemade jams and gobble them up.

makes 18-20 scones using a 3 inch cutter

8 cups of plain white flour

6 ounces of salted butter

3 eggs

pinch of salt

1/4 cup castor sugar or granulated sugar

3 heaped teaspoons of baking powder

2 cups whole milk

Glaze

egg wash (see below)

granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 475°

Sieve all the dry ingredients (except sugar for glaze) in a large, wide bowl.  Cut the butter into cubes and rub the butter into the flour.  Make a well in the center of the butter/flour mix.  Whisk the eggs (except the egg for glaze) with the milk and it to the dry ingredients.  Stir until a soft dough is formed.  Turn out onto a floured surface and make a round using your hands.  Roll out gently making a 1 to 1 1/2 inch ‘pancake’ and cut into rounds using the 3 inch cutter.  Dip the tops of each scone into the egg wash and then into the granulated sugar.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve split in half with jams, butter and or whipped cream.

Egg Wash

whisk 1 egg with a pinch of salt.  Brush or dip the top of each scone.

I just made this tasty treat in my little cottage without a food processor….and I have to admit, it’s unlikely that I will do that again!  The place I’m staying in is very rustic and quaint and a bit small, so a food processor isn’t really an option.  Hopefully for you, fearless baker, some kind of rapid mixing device is at hand.

Makes 24 small squares

6 ounces butter, softened

6 ounces castor sugar, or granulated

2 eggs, beaten

5 ounces self-rising flour

1 ounce cocoa

3-4 ounces hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped

Chocolate Icing

5 ounces icing sugar

2 ounces butter, softened

2 teaspoons cocoa

11 1/2 x 8 inch swiss roll pan, WELL GREASED

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whiz the butter, castor sugar, eggs, self-rising flour, and cocoa in a food processor.  Spread the mixture evenly in the well buttered tin.   Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.  Allow to cool.

Meanwhile mix ingredients for the icing using the food processor.  Spread the icing over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.  Cut into small squares.