Traditional sweet & new-fashioned savory Scones

For me scones are proper British delights. Something you would get in the afternoon with a high tea or cream tea. I always figured it was somehow like a pastry, but apparently it is more like a bread or cake. Many years ago some friends of our family went on a hiking trip in England. When we visited them to see the pictures, she came out of the kitchen with a big plate of self-made scones, clotted cream and English jam.

Years and years went by, never wondering about scones. Never trying them in my visits to England. During one of my cookbook browsing sessions I came around a recipe for savory scones. I thought I would give it a go and was pleasantly surprised!

Feta, olive and tomato scones
Makes 8 -12 scones

400g/14oz of self-raising flour
85g/3oz butter
50g/1 1/2 oz of pitted black olives, chopped
50g//1 1/2 oz of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
85/3oz grams of feta cheese, crumbled
200ml/7fl oz of milk, plus extra for glazing
Pinch of pepper and salt

Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a bowl and rub in the butter evenly with your fingers. Stir in the olives and tomatoes. Then stir in just enough milk to make a soft, smooth dough. While kneading, work in the feta.

Roll out on a floured surface to 2 cm thick square like figure. Cut into 5-6 cm squares or rectangles, triangles, roughly the same size. Or use a round cookie cutter. Place them on the baking sheet and brush with milk. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Best served warm, after resting for at least 5-10 minutes. Spread with butter, with cheese or plain.

Savory feta, olive, tomato scones on the left and traditional lightly sweetened scones on the right,

great with Port Salut (French cheese), butter and blackberry jam

After making the first batch I was hooked, it was so easy to make! After a lot of savory scones I wanted something sweet. The week before I spend a long weekend in Tours, in the center of France. I was visiting one of my good friends who I met in China. On my last day there I asked her to take me to a supermarket to buy my grandparents some Bonne Maman. The best jam and marmalade there is in the world! While looking for a apricot jam for my grandparents, I came around great flavors. Ending up with hands full of jars. Back at home I selected the flavors of jam I wanted to keep and which to give away. I love blackberry jam, so after a week looking at the jar I figured that the jam would be even greater with a scone!

It became necessary to make plain or lightly sweetened scones. I found this great traditional recipe, just as easy as the savory one!

Traditional scones
Makes 8-10 scones

225g/8oz of self raising flour
Pinch of salt
55g/2oz of butter
25g/1oz of caster sugar
150ml/5fl oz of milk
Optional for glazing: 1 beaten egg, or just some milk

Preheat the oven to 220 C/425 F and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter evenly with your fingers. Stir in sugar and just enough milk to make a soft, smooth dough.

Roll out on a floured surface to 2 cm thick square like figure. Cut into 5-6 cm squares or rectangles, triangles, roughly the same size. Or go traditional and use a round cookie cutter. Place them on the baking sheet and brush with milk or a beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Let them rest for some minutes, then serve up warm. Traditional with clotted cream and jam, but butter or marmalade are also lovely. 

Result of one of my baking frenzies at night. A baking spread of banana oatmeal cookies, 

pretzels and savory and sweet scones.

These great recipes are easy to make and always a great success, but highly addicted! So if you make them before the lunch, you might not have any after. Enjoy!