Somerset Recipes

Spelt Scones

By Jan Maggs

I really like the taste of wholemeal scones and spelt flour is a good option especially as it can have slightly less gluten. These scones don’t rise quite as well as using white refined flour as the flour is coarser in texture but what they lose a little in shape they make up for in taste.

Buttermilk is a slightly sour by-product of the butter making process that combined with the baking powder reacts together to give a light and lovely textured scone. Most supermarkets stock it in the diary section but if you find it difficult to buy add a teaspoon of lemon juice to ordinary milk and leave for 30mins or so. I also substitute cream for some or all of the buttermilk – before you throw your hands up in horror it is a good way of using up left over cream that may just be beginning to ‘turn’ and would get thrown out

otherwise.

Makes 6-8 scones

Ingredients

225g of Spelt Flour

30g caster sugar

40g of softened butter

125ml of buttermilk (or cream)

25ml of milk

1 rounded tablespoon of baking powder

1 beaten egg (or additional milk) for glazing

Caster sugar for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 200C Fan /210 Conv /Gas 6

Grease a baking sheet or line with silicone paper

Place the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Add the softened butter and using your fingertips rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and there are no lumps. Stir in the caster sugar. Mix the buttermilk and milk together.

Now add the buttermilk slowly to the flour and mix with your hands until it holds together and forms a soft dough like mixture. Add a little more milk if needed but try not to over handle as it can make the scones a little heavy.

Sprinkle some flour onto the worktop and lightly pat the dough out so that is roughly 2cm deep (slightly more if you want your scones to be quite large).

Cut the scones out using a cutter and place apart on the baking sheet.

Brush lightly with the beaten egg or a little milk. Sprinkle caster sugar over the top if desired.

Bake for about 10 to 12 mins until risen and lightly brown on the top.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool slightly. Best eaten warm.

For fruit scones add 30g of cherries, raisins or sultanas before adding the liquid and mixing together.