Delicious buttermilk scones

Warm and doughy on the inside and crunchy and golden on the outside – it’s easy to see the everlasting appeal of scrummy scones! Just 10 minutes in the oven is all it takes and you’ll be good to go!

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 60g cold butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220C or 200C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. Sift flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add cold butter to the well, and lightly rub butter into flour between your thumbs and fingertips until it is no longer bitsy, lifting the mixture above the bowl to get air into it.
3. In a small bowl or jug, whisk egg into buttermilk and set aside 2 tablespoons for glazing. Pour remaining mixture into flour, mixing lightly with a spatula until a soft, slightly sticky dough just comes together. Turn onto a floured bench. Flour hands and form dough into a rough ball, then gently press out to a 2-3cm layer.
4. Flour inside of a 6cm-wide pastry cutter, and cut out as many scones as you can, arranging them quite close together on lined tray. Bring offcuts together, press out again and cut out remaining scones – you should get about 12 in total.
5. Brush tops with reserved buttermilk mixture and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed, golden and firm when pressed in the middle.
6. Remove from oven and wrap in a clean tea towel to keep warm. Serve with butter or jam and cream.