These fruity, feather-light scones are the work of minutes and it's lucky that they're best eaten on the day they're made, as they never last any longer in our house. Split them and butter them while still warm, put the kettle on and enjoy a break.
There are just a few things to remember to get the best out of your scones: don't handle the dough too much or they'll toughen up; make a clean cut up and down with your pastry cutter (no twisting) to get a straight-sided rise; dip the cutter into flour between each cut; and because the raising agent will start to activate the moment you pour in the buttermilk, get them in the oven as quickly as possible.
Blueberry Buttermilk Scones (makes 6)
Ingredients:
225g plain flour
1 level tspn bicarbonate of soda
2 level tspn cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
40g butter
30g caster sugar
100g fresh blueberries
150ml buttermilk
Method:
Heat oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
Sift the flour, bicarb, cream of tartar and salt into a bowl. Add the butter in pieces and run in with the fingertips. Stir in the sugar and blueberries.
Make a well in the centre of the mix and pour into the buttermilk. Mix with a table knife until the dough is soft but not sticky. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead briefly, just two or three times, to smooth the underside.
Turn the dough over and pat to a thickness of 2cm. Using a 7cm diameter cutter, cut into rounds. Press together the trimmings and keep cutting until you're out of dough.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the scones on top, evenly spaced, and put immediately in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 12 minutes until well-risen and light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before splitting and buttering.
