Irish Buttermilk Scones / Cheese & Herb Scones

Perfect to go with your morning coffee or a great afternoon snack with hot tea. The secret to making good scones is a quick, light hand when mixing, and a hot oven.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 8 scones

Ingredients

• Buttermilk Scones

• 8  ounces self-raising flour (preferably self-raising soda bread flour)
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  ounce butter or 1  ounce  hard margarine
• 1  egg, beaten
• 5  fluid ounces buttermilk
•  eggs or  milk, to glaze
•  cinnamon sugar, to dust

• Cheese and Herb Scones

• 1  teaspoon dry mustard
• 2  ounces cheese, grated
• 2  tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (basil or whatever you like)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (gas mark 8).
2. Sift flour with salt and rub in butter or margarine.
3. For Cheese& Herb Scones add mustard, cheese and herbs to the dry ingredients at this point.
4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the egg and most of the buttermilk.
5. Mix quickly to form a soft dough, adding a little extra buttermilk if necessary.
6. Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out lightly until 1" thick.
7. Working quickly, cut into 2" rounds.
8. Glaze with egg or milk and set on a floured baking sheet.
9. Before baking, dust scones with cinnamon sugar for Buttermilk Scones or sprinkle a little grated cheese on top of each scone for Cheese& Herb Scones.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light brown.