Lily's Scones

A recipe from my most beloved and dearest cookbook: 'How To Be A Domestic Goddess'. Scones. Just plain scones. No raisins, currants or cranberries added. Simplicity is the key! Nigella Lawson calls these "the best scones I've ever eaten", and I'm not going to argue with her. These are for sure the best PLAIN scones I've ever tried. (Martha Stewart's Chocolate Scones and Ina Garten Maple Scones are the best non-plain ones) The secret ingredient is cream of tartar - lots of it! It makes them so wonderfully light and dreamy. Rating: 5 out of 5.

Lily's Scones recipe: Nigella Lawson - How To Be A Domestic Goddess

Ingredients:
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, diced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, in teaspooned lumps
- 1 ⅓ cups milk
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- For a variation, you could add 3 ounces of raisins or golden raisins.

Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Rub in the fats (butter and vegetable shortening) till the mixture goes like damp sand. Add the milk all at once, mix briefly – briefly being the operative word – and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form a dough.
- Roll out to about 1 to 1 ¼ inch thickness. Dip the cutter into some flour, then stamp out at least 10 scones. You get 12 in all from this, but may need to reroll for the last 2. Place on the baking sheet very close together – the idea is that they bulge and stick together on cooking – then brush the tops with the egg wash. Put in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until risen and golden.
- Always eat freshly baked, preferably still warm from the oven, with clotted cream and jam or, my favorite, Thunder and Lightning, which is clotted cream and molasses.


Pre-oven ... Post-oven.




Nigella likes to eat these with Thunder and Lightning, which is clotted cream and molasses. Yuck! I really dislike molasses. I prefer butter, raspberry jam and some more butter.

Comments

Unknown said…
These look lovely, I have seen the recipe in her book. I always wonder who Lily is!
Lucie said…
Thumbs up for raspberry jam and a lot of butter! Your scones look amazing.
Snooky doodle said…
I ve never tried making scones.Should try though :)
La Tomate said…
hhhhmmm... Scones. :-)

Love 'em.

If you want an even more indulgent scone? Get some Tate&Lyle's Golden Syrup, and when the scones are just fresh from the oven, slather them in butter and then douse them in golden syrup... *nom*nom*nom*

(Jam & butter is good too! ;) )
A Bowl Of Mush said…
These look absolutely gorgeous!!
apparentlyjessy said…
Scones were a big part of my life when I was a kid, my Mum used to make pumpkin scones a lot.
I am yet to find my favourite scone recipe of my own, I must remember to try this one when it is no longer summer (it is WAY too hot to bake at the moment!)
I like the color of that jam! ;)
BonjourRomance said…
I love scones with clotted cream. I'll definitely try this recipe. I tried my first batch of scones several months ago...they were a disaster...now I know why - I didn't use cream of tartar! Thanks!
Miss Dot said…
Fantastic turnout on your scones! I have to say, I've never tried just plain ol' molasses; I've always just used it as an ingredient in a recipe (i.e., gingerbread). I never thought to use it any other way! I think I'd stick with your preference, though -- raspberry jam + butter + butter sounds just fine to me! :)
Anonymous said…
You did it again:) i can actually tase the butter, raspberry jam and some more butter...i better do them sometimes ...
good job and thanks for posting !

Liliana. AZ
I loove scones!! Barefoot Contessa makes maple ones that are to die for !! They look fabulous!!!

http://nycstylecannoli.blogspot.com
Love this cookbook and your scones look so delightful. Whoever lives with you is the luckiest person alive! The raspberry jam looks so vivid too!
Eliana said…
Plain and simple is often times best. They look delicious.
Me said…
These look fantastic! Quick question...any thoughts on how well they keep? I want to make these for my office, but means making them sunday night to be eaten monday morning!
Paris Pastry said…
@Recipes in my Life: They are of course best the day they are baked, but sunday night till monday morning is only a few hours so I reckon they'll still taste fabulous! (but I wouldn't put jam or cream on them till the last minute before serving!)
Misbah said…
I have to try these :)

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