Castle Scones

This recipe is one my mother found while reading a book from her favourite detective series. I consider this a traditional English or Scottish scone in texture and flavour. Anything goes with these scones. Try them with lemon filling, jelly, jam or with butter. Topping them off with Mock Devonshire Cream is a must!

• 1 cup currants, soaked in boiled water for 10 minutes
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chilled butter
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups milk
• 4 large eggs

1. Fluff flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a huge bowl with a fork.
2. Cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add drained currants
4. Pour milk, whipping cream and eggs into a big cup or bowl and stir together with a fork, breaking up the egg yolks.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in milk mixture. Mix with a fork being sure to gradually pull dry ingredients into the centre until everything comes together, lumpy in appearance, forming a ball. Do not over mix!
6. Dust a rolling pin and a clean, flat, dry surface with flour.
7. Place dough onto the centre of prepared work surface.
8. Knead dough approximately four times until dough feels elastic. This recipe appears more smooth than the others. Overworking the dough will take away the fluffiness and make them hard.
9. Roll out dough to 3/4 inch thick (distance between finger tip and first knuckle).
10. Cut out chosen scone shapes with a cookie cutter.
11. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 F oven for 16 minutes.
12. Immediately remove from sheet and place on cooling rack.

Yields about 20 scones

This recipe appears light in colour and rises high with a fluffy layered look to each scone.