LY's Kitchen Ventures: Quick & Easy Perfect Scones (Gordon Ramsay)

Scones are perfect for breakfast and tea-breaks!

This recipe I'm trying is from Gordon Ramsay's Chef's Secrets. It is super quick and easy, and what you get is scones that are soft, yet crusts that are crunchy due to the sugar that is sprinkled on top of the scones before baking in the oven.

Scones are best eaten fresh and warm from the oven. You can eat it with some jam and a cup of tea....Mmm...Heaven!

Gordon Ramsay's Perfect Scones

recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Chef's Secret

makes 8-10

(My notes in red. I halved the recipe below)

Ingredients:

250g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

Good pinch of fine sea salt

45g unsalted butter, softened

1 tbspn caster sugar, plus extra to dust

50g sultanas (I used dried cranberries)

1 large free-range egg

100ml ice-cold milk, plus extra to glaze

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl. Add butter in little pieces and rub it in using your finger tips and lifting the flour up high so you aerate it. When the butter is incorporated the mixture should look like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar, then the sultanas.

3. In another bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Pour about three quarters into the flour mixture and quickly mix together with a large table knife, adding the extra egg and milk mixture as necessary to give a soft but not sticky dough. (I used a metal spoon) Do not overmix - the quicker and lighter the mixing, the higher your scones will rise.

4. Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface and very gently roll with a rolling pin or pat out with your fingers to a 2 - 2.5cm thickness. Using a 6cm cutter, press out as many rounds as you can. Gently re-shape and lightly roll the trimmings to cut out a couple more round if you can. (I did not use a cutter. Use hand to pat out 5 - 6cm round shaped scones with 2 - 2.5cm thickness.

5. Place the rounds on the lined baking sheet, brush the tops with milk and sprinkle lightly with extra sugar. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until risen and golden brown. (I baked for 22 minutes) To check that the scones are ready, lightly squeeze the sides of one - the dough should e springy. Slide off on to a wire rack and cool. Eat the scones within an hour or so of baking, while still warm.

Variations:

Omit the sultanas and add 1 tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice to the flour. Or, for savoury scones, omit the sugar and sultanas, mix in 50g finely grated mature Cheddar or Parmesan and 1/2 tsp powdered English mustard and spronkle the tops with a little more grated cheese before baking.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from the Domestic Goddess Wannabe

This post is linked to Cook like a Star (Gordon Ramsay) organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake