Cranberries Scones

Besides making lemon curd tarts, this is one of my favourite ways to eat it. With scones! Scones has its origin from Scotland (source : Wikipedia). It is classified under quick bread (similar to muffins), however, they are also known as 'biscuits' in the Sates. It is usually eaten with clotted cream and jam. I always looked out for scones when I have High Tea but usually they serve with butter/whipped cream and jam.

I borrowed a recipe book about quick bread, muffins and scones from my sis. There are a couple of recipes that featured savoury scones. Have yet to try them out but they sure looked good. I picked this particular recipe as this recipe uses yoghurt instead of cream. Makes me less guilty when I stuffed my face with these. The original recipe is named Featherlight Scones; plain and does not use any sugar, except fpr sprinkling. Ideal as I wanted to have it with lemon curd. I added some cranberries to it as I thought they go well with yoghurt and lemon.

Prior to my attempt, my mom warned me about the difficulty of making scones. Hers turned out tough instead of the crumbly texture which I like. In my opinion, she might have overmix or overknead the dough. Apparently, her British Home Econs teacher didn't tell her that, so she stopped making scones after her first attempt. What a pity! I didn't get to eat scones till late in my teens! Anyway, it's now my turn exploring the kitchen.

Cranberry Scones (Adapted from Taste of Home, Muffins & Quick Breads)
Ingredients
3 Cups Plain Flour
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
8 oz. Cold Butter

1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

1 Cup Plain Yoghurt
70g Dried Cranberries

*Soak the cranberries in yoghurt for 30 mins

2 Tsp Milk
Some Sugar

Method
1) Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda together in a mixing bowl. Add salt. Cut in butter, using a pastry scraper till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2) Stir in egg, yoghurt, cranberries and vanilla essence till just combined. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 6 to 8 times.

3) Roll out onto a lined sheet pan and shape into a 9 inch circle, cut into squares. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 210 deg.C for 15 minutes or till golden brown.

4) Serve warm with lemon curd/jam or butter and cinnamon-sugar.

*Note : The recipe stated to cut the scones into wedges but I cut in squares. Supposedly, smaller = less sinful. But I had 3 at 1 go. Tsk..

**Note : Take out the cranberries and it is a versatile, basic scone recipe.

Happy Baking~~! じゃね～～