For the past week I have had an intense craving for warm cheese scones. I'm sure you're all aware that there isn't much worse in life than a bland supermarket scone, so there was only one option. Get my tush in the kitchen and bake my own.
Luckily I'd just been up to my favorite farm shop for a big slab of delicious and extra strong Snowdonia Little Black Bomber cheese. Oh I do love a strong cheese. I often mourn the loss of the olde stylee dairy they used to run at Beamish. They did a cheese so strong it could pull the gums over your teeth, sigh.
The best thing about this recipe is it contains no butter which I'm quite sure means they're good for you...right? So, if you want delicious and light scones in a hurry, this is for you!
Spicy Cheese Scones
Ingredients:
250g self raising flour
3tsp baking powder
large pinch salt
sprinkle of cayenne pepper/chilli powder (optional but recommended)
200g strong cheddar cheese, grated
3tsp vegetable oil
125 ml milk (maybe a bit more depending on how it mixes)
1 large, free range egg
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C and grease a large baking tray.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper into a large bowl. Add the cheese and mix through the flour mixture.
Beat the egg and milk together in a separate bowl and add the oil. The oil replaces the butter/margarine that usually gets used to rub into the flour. By using the oil you cut down on the dreaded calories and it saves a lot of time.
Pour the milk/egg/oil mixture into the flour mixture and using a metal spoon / fork, mix the dough until it clumps together, but is not too dry. If too dry, splash a bit more milk in to use up the flour.
Press the dough out on a flat clean floured surface until it is about 5mm thick, then fold it over ontop of itself (this gives the finished scones the natural "break" to cut open), flatten it again, using the palm of your hand. Do not use a rolling pin as it is too heavy and will prevent the scones from rising.
Cut out your scones out by using a round cutter (you decide on the size) or if you don't have a cutter handy use a drinking glass. Place them on a baking tray and brush them with a little milk, pop them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve, still warm, with lashings of butter, cheese, jams and honey.
