Saturday, August 04, 2007

Making Scones

One day my kitchen crew decided to let their parents sleep while they came over and helped me make scones. We laid out the utinsels on the left: measuring sets, mixing bowl and spoons. The ingredients are on the right. The oldest boy of the crew said he really likes the brand of flour because he enjoys the picture on the bag. He liked it so much his mother cut it out and put it in scrapbook for him. The recipe is in the previous article.

Place two cups of flour in the bowl.





Add 4 teaspoons of baking powder and blend very well with a spoon.



Now mix the liquid ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup of milk and one egg well mixed.






















Next, pour the well mixed liquids into the dry flour mixture, and stir it, and make it into a ball that sticks together. Dough will be sticky.






Sprinkle a handful of flour around the top of the sticky mound, and then turn it over and sprinkle some more on the other side. Do not mix in.











This is a recipe that does not require a greased pan, however, if you rub a little butter on it by holding the cold cube in your hand and running it across the pan several times, it makes the scones taste good and does help if your pan sticks. (I don't grease the pan with this recipe).

Divide that mound into two circles, and pat into a round of about 4 inches. That way, your scone will be "mile high" and will puff up quite nicely.







Now cut each mound in half and then half again and so forth until you have 6 or eight wedges. Separate the wedges slightly with the spatula.













The youngest chef sprinkled the scones with a sugar-cinnamon mixture.

















After 15 or 20 minutes at 375 degrees F they are cooked and looking tall...


Remember that clean kitchen I showed you yesterday? This is what it looked like when we got ready to eat the scones, this is what it looked like. There are no clean plates to eat our scones!















Oh wait. Here are some paper towels I got at the dollar store the other day.













They make good placemats.




























These scones taste very good with Gingerbread tea which is herbal non-caffeinated.












NOte: if you have too much liquid, the dough will be too doughy and spongy; if you have too much flour, the dough will be too stiff and hard. Just practice til you get it right.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I copied down this recipe for my Grandmother; she's been looking for a scone recipe since she lost hers last year. She says thank you, and we'll be trying it out soon.

God Bless,
Machelle

Sibyl said...

Lady Lydia

Thank you for showing us you beautiful home, but also thank you for showing us that your homekeeping skills are not perfect. I have Mt Washmore quite often, and your kitchen being stacked with used dishes sure looks familiar. That is good that others have the same problems I have from time to time.

Sibyl

Karen said...

Thanks again for the pictures! I bet the little ones enjoyed the making (and eating) of scones! They will have wonderful memories!

Back to your article from yesterday - I really like the first picture of the desk. Especially the painting (I seem to recognize the artist as Lady Lydia!) and also the word "Relax". I was really thinking about that today, because it occurs to me that although I love being at home, I am sometimes not "relaxed" about it. I sometimes get that "anxious" feeling if I have too many things going at once or else I have nagging guilt because I really mean to get to cleaning that closet out....and then I realize a month has gone by! LOL!

Anyway, thanks for your articles. They are inspiring and also good reminders not to get over-anxious but to be diligent and cheerful in my home.

quakerhillfarm said...

Ilove the House! Is it a cookie jar? What a great way to encourage little helpers. Thanks for the SWEET ideas...Lynn

Lydia said...

Several people have asked about that cookie jar. I got it at WalMart on Mothers Day a few years ago for about $5.00. Type in Victorian House Cookie jars on Ebay or one the web and see what comes up. Even some of the ads that have no pictures can be clicked on, and pictures will then show. We don't ever have cookies in it because there are never any left to put in there. It is a waste of time to put them in. I've never understood the concept of a cookie jar, but I like the house jar!

Anonymous said...

The YouTube clip does not have comments enabled, but I did want to warn you. Please tell readers not to click on the screen when the clip is finished. At the bottom a list of "related" videos comes up and from the teeny pictures, some look very not related and vulgar.

Mrs. Anna T said...

This makes me want to go and bake. Mmm. When we're all settled in our new kitchen and have all our baking trays unpacked, I feel I'm going to have a baking spree :D

Anonymous said...

Mmm, scones...I didn't thank you for the response of earlier, Mrs. Sherman. Well, thank you.

I just recently found the kind of cookie jar I was looking for: a large crockery jar with an old-fashioned flair to it (kind of 1950's).

It's a Williams-Sonoma jar, found at Tuesday Morning for $18. I love that store! It's always fun browsing in there; it's all the stuff the department stores couldn't unload even on clearance. Even Waterford Crystal and Old Country Rose china!

Anonymous said...

How fun! Lovely home. I felt just at peace looking at your bedroom.

Blessings!
Mrs. Chrissy

Anonymous said...

I just had to chime in, here. I loved that you let your little helper do so much of the scone-making. Those are good memeories being made! My kids are regular residents in the kitchen, and can each make a couple things unaided by an adult. I will say the place doesn't look the tidiest when they're done, but we're working on that too!!

Have a wonderful day, Brenda

Lydia said...

sigh...it is obvious that we are all missing a very important element of life in this world--that of being in each other's homes watching them cook and looking at their dishes, seeing their rooms. It is so refreshing and I do it when I have time, online, at any sight that shows someone's house. I have no luck with the decorating sites but find lots of places in real people's homes that they share. They don't have to do this, and it is free, so I appreciate it even more. Merryrose no fair zooming in. Someone might see and write you a letter!! Yes that was my wide rear end in full view (disguised by a loose flowing and drapey skirt)at Thistledown Farm, a family farm in the area.

Lydia said...

There were three helpers.

The 8 year old was doing the main mixing, beginning with the flour.

The 5 year old was mixing the liquids.

The 3 year old was beating the egg and sprinkling the cinnamon.

Lydia said...

Someone who visited here has a blog that I read briefly and now I can't find it. She posted some quotes from professors of Harvard and some other college that was originally established for people to study the Bible...

Annie-emmy said...

I have enjoyed your last 2 postings so much, it has been wonderful to have an "inside" look at your everyday life. I, too, use oil often in baking, so healthy and it makes doughs and batters so quick to put together. Especially when you have little hands that want to help! Thanks so much for being such an inspiration to homemakers everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Dear Isaac,

I wish I could come and visit you soon. I just can't wait to see how much John Paul has grown.

Maybe we will have tea together again when I visit. The cooking looks fun, maybe someday we will even have scones with our tea.

Love Samuel

Lydia said...

Thanks for sharing. Your kitchen looks so homey!

Anonymous said...

I just used your recipe and made the scones tonight.....they are good, thanks!! =)