A Southern Grace: John's Irish Scones

John's Irish Scones

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Makes about 3 dozen 2-inchers per John's recipe (1 dozen per mine)
Ingredients:
Scones:

  • 900 grams plain white flour (2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
  • Pinch of salt (Pinch of salt)
  • 50 to 100 grams caster sugar (2 tablespoons granulated sugar)
  • 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder (or 6 level teaspoons) (1 tablespoon baking powder)
  • 175 grams butter (2 ounces or 1/4 cup butter)
  • 3 eggs (1 egg)
  • 450 ml milk (2/3 cup milk)
  • Fistful of sultanas (or raisins)
Glaze:
  • Egg wash (some of the egg and milk mixture that you have left over)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C (475 degrees F).
Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a wide bowl.
Cut the butter into cubes. (John normally uses soft butter that mixes in very easily into the dry ingredients.)
Toss in the flour and rub in the butter.
Add in the sultanas.
Make a well in the centre.
Whisk the eggs and the milk and add to the dry ingredients (John does not add it all but leaves a little behind--if the mixture is still too dry then add more, and if you have any of the liquid left you can use it for the egg wash)(I should have left a LOT behind!) and mix to a soft dough.
Turn out onto a floured board.
Knead lightly just enough to shape into a round.
Roll out to about 2 cm (1 inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones.
Put on a baking sheet.
Brush the tops with egg wash.
Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top. (John normally takes them out of the oven and takes out the scone that is in the middle of the tray, then cuts it into two and checks out the centre--if it is cooked, he leaves the scones out, if the scone is not fully cooked in the middle and looks a little doughy then he would put them back into the oven for another two minutes and check again.)
Cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy.

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