Description
These Date Scones are tender, lightly sweet, and just the thing for a slow afternoon with tea. They’re simple, a little imperfect, and honestly hard to stop eating while they’re still warm.
Ingredients
Units
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- 3 cups self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 7/8 cup (200 g) butter or margarine, room temperature but still slightly firm
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3/4 cup (About 125 g dates), chopped into small chunks
- Extra milk for brushing tops, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400⁰F (200⁰C).
- Lightly grease 1 to 2 baking trays or line them with baking paper so nothing sticks.
- In a large bowl, add 3 cups self-rising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, and 1/2 cup brown sugar.
- Give it a quick mix so everything’s evenly combined and there aren’t sugar clumps hiding at the bottom.
- Add the 200 g butter or margarine.
- Rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Don’t rush or overwork it either. You still want tiny bits of butter in there for a soft texture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 1 tsp vanilla essence.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing gently with a knife or spatula. You may not need every last drop, so add slowly.
- The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too dry, add 1 tbsp milk at a time. If it’s too sticky, dust lightly with a bit more flour.
- Fold in the chopped dates, about 125 g, and gently knead the dough just 3 to 4 times to spread the dates evenly. Don’t over-knead your scones, it will become dense instead of light.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat it out to about 2 to 3 cm thick.
- Cut into rounds or squares using a floured cutter or knife. Press straight down, don’t twist the cutter, or they won’t rise as nicely.
- Place the scones close together on the prepared tray so they help each other rise. Brush the tops lightly with extra milk for a golden finish.
- Bake at 400⁰F (200⁰C) for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and cooked through. If you tap the bottom, it should sound slightly hollow.
- Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, but honestly, they’re best warm with butter melting right in.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested Irene
