The SconeLady Discovers Savory

You won't believe this but the SconeLady thinks she has discovered THE most delicious savory scone, I believe ever. Everything turned out perfectly here in the SconeTherapy kitchens today, as the ingredients were mixed, rolled out, cut (without twisting), and popped into a hot oven. They were so good that I just had to share them with you immediately!

This recipe is from my favorite of all sweet cookbooks, The Little Book Of Scones, co-authored by the lovely Grace Hall whom I met in London in the spring. I have tried several of her sweet scone recipes, all of which tasted divine. But I was in the mood for something less sweet, today. Something to perhaps go along with the Boeuf Bourguignon dinner I was planning. So, a savory ('savoury') choice was in order. I picked the Basic Savory Scone Dough recipe:

450g/3 2/3 cups self-rising flour

175g/1 1/2 sticks cold butter

40g/2 Tablespoons+1 teaspoon superfine sugar

2 large pinches of salt

2 large pinches of black pepper

2 eggs

6 Tablespoons buttermilk

It's super easy and takes very little time!

Combine flour and butter (I used a pastry cutter) until the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add sugar, salt and pepper. 

Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until 'fluffy'. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and fold together using a spatula. Use your hands at the end to get it into a large lump.

Roll out the dough until it is about 3cm/1 1/4 inches tall. Cut your scones carefully: it is important NOT TO TWIST THE CUTTER. You will be tempted to twist it but do not twist it! Twisting the cutter will mean your scones will not rise to the dizzying heights they will if you do not twist the cutter. Ha! (I know this to be true because I have tried it both ways).

Grace recommends baking at 190C/375F, but my oven does much better at 400F (I think this is 205C but you had better check). Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown. These scones rose up magnificently (as you can see in the photo) and received an immediate 'excellent!' rating from the SconeLady's husband. Hooray!

Since they are 'savory', and not 'sweet' scones, we used only butter on them (I know - no jam? no cream? - nope!). The first bite was so surprisingly delicious that the remainder of the scones are now sitting over there on the table calling out to us to come and have another. That is what a good scone will always do. Create a demand.

And tomorrow I will tell you all about the Boeuf Bourguignon that graced our table tonight! Yes, it involved lots of cutting, and yes, it had lots of luscious butter and olive oil in it. But who cares, when the resulting taste is so exquisite that you wonder why you haven't tried it before. When you are a friend of Julia Child you do not worry your pretty little head over such trivialities as butter and olive oil.

Because life would be so bleak and so dreary without them.



See you along the way!

the SconeLady