So I’m experimenting with being sugar free, not that I believe that that will last very long! It’s a little bit more of a challenge to bake (especially sweet food) when you’re not using any sugar, and so thought that the easiest thing as a kick-off would be to make some lovely flaky scones.
The Americans make amazing flaky scones aka “biscuits” and ever since I’ve discovered them on the Internet, I’ve been a bit of a fan. I was casting around the kitchen to make a batch, and realised that instead of putting regular salt in the mixture I could use some beautiful speciality salt that I have bought from Gewurzhaus, a wonderful spice shop here in Melbourne.
The scones are given just a slightly sweet edge with a touch of liquid honey. I confess that using honey it’s probably cheating just a little bit on the sugar free plan, but I figure that there is less than 1 mL of honey per scone and, frankly I’ve decided not to care about such trifles. Anyway, it’s not processed granulated sugar!
Of course, if you want plain scones, swap the lavender salt for plain salt.
Everybody flocks to scones – and raves about good ones (good news, these are definitely good ones!), and its funny, because they are so super quick and easy to make yet can get better reviews than fancy-ass cake.
This recipe is particularly good because you don’t even need to be anally-retentive about getting the butter all rubbed-in just so. In fact, having chunks of butter in the mix is a good thing – it’s what makes the flakes!
The flakes are really easy. You just gather the dough into a bit of a rectangle (on a well floured surface), roll it out along the long axis (so that you have a long thin length of dough, fold it up into thirds like a business letter, and repeat this process until you have done the folds three times. Below is a picture of the dough after the last fold.
Then, just roll the dough out to about 2cm thick, and cut circles using a cookie cutter (or just cut squares!). See the beautiful flakes on the sides?
Brush them with butter and they are good to bake! Done in 12 minutes, and so good with honey flavoured cream and a drizzle of more honey on top! This is a cream-tea treat with a difference. I’ve never wanted to be a bee in Provence as much as right now.
Honey and lavender flaky scones
Makes about 12
ingredients
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp lavender salt (or just use plain salt)
2 tsp honey (if you want sweeter scones, twice this much.
125g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (about 1 cm)
3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
30g melted butter, extra
mixing
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Rub the honey and butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is partly incorporated but small chunks still remain.
Tip in the milk and mix with a spoon until just combined (the mixture will still be quite sticky, don’t worry about that – after laminating the dough it will be perfect!).
Dust a work surface liberally with flour, and scoop the scone mixture onto the surface. Pat into a rectangle about 15 x 20cm. Dust the top liberally with flour and roll out to three times as long, keeping the same width. Fold one third into the centre, and the other third on top of the first fold. Roll out again, repeating the process until you have done three sets of folds. The dough will look quite smooth, with visible smears of butter inside. This makes the flakes!
Finally roll out to a rectangle which is about 2cm thick. Cut rounds of dough using a 5cm cookie cutter. Squish the offcuts back together if you like and re cut – these scones won’t have the same lovely piled flakes but waste not want not!
Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with bake paper. Brush the scones with melted butter.
Bake for 12 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius, until well risen and golden.
Cool on a wire rack.
Serve with honey cream.
Honey Cream
150mL whipping cream
15mL liquid honey
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add the honey and beat in until just combined.
Yummm. Enjoy!xxx
