Recipes from Life - Scones

Want to see some recipes? Recipes that I use all the time. That are tried and true. But most importantly, recipes that use everyday ingredients and that you can whip up at a moments notice! These are my Recipes from Life. Most of them have been passed on to me from special people like my Nan. Some I've 'found' in moments of desperation. And others have evolved because the original ingredients weren't in the cupboard! They are for everyday life and are used often in my life ;-)  My classics.

Today you're getting this bonus recipe post on a Saturday, 'cos I don't quite know when I'll be back online next week. Remember, we're taking the kids in the car. So I thought I'd pop this post on to fill in the gaps, so-to-speak ;-) Plus, it's a jolly good excuse to take some shots of yummy food!

Right. First up in the Recipes from Life series; that great Australian, morning tea, tummy-filler, the scone. These are (almost) de rigueur for our lamb marking morning tea. Actually you know, us Aussies probably nicked the scone from England, I can imagine it would be great for their high teas. Well, we've certainly taken it to our hearts!

***UPDATE*** A quick google has revealed scones actually hale from Scotland. So there you go, no wonder I love them so much! It's my scottish blood coming through ;-)

Scones have a scary reputation though, well at least the cooking of them does. There are country women, and city ones probably, who spend years mastering their own exact blend of ingredients to create a light fluffy scone. My life doesn't have time (or energy) for that concentration! But I have a secret ingredient that makes enough lightness for the whole world, one those matriarchs would never use, or admit to using. I use a recipe to beat all that down.... then all you have to do is beat the cream up and serve with jam! You'll look like a clever cook and all who eat these will smile. Smile only, cos you can't talk with a mouthful of warm scone, jam and cream. Yum!

So here are the ingredients:

3 cups of Self Raising Flour

300ml of cream

3/4 cup of lemonade

A pinch of salt

And the method is just as simple, the less you do the better:

- Whisk flour into bowl

- Add remaining ingredients

- Mix lightly

- When mixture is holding together pull whole dough onto bench and knead gently for a little bit

- Then press dough out 'til it's about an inch thick

- Cut scones/circles out using whatever u have

- Place on tray and cook in hot oven (200 degrees C) for 15 minutes

Extra Tips from Life:

- Always use a freshly opened lemonade

- Buy 600ml of cream, use half in cooking, whip half for serving

- Add a bit (a Tablespoon) of icing sugar/mixture to cream when whipping

- Serve with some sort of berry jam

- EAT WHILE HOT! Or zap cold scones for 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.

To serve these scones, I load them all into a tea-towel lined basket or bowl. Then I wrap them with the corners of the tea towel, to keep them warm. Onto the table goes a bowl of jam and a bowl of whipped cream, a pile of spoons and knives for spreading. Added to all that are a pile of plates, and everyone serves themselves. 

When you serve yourself you get to spread your own scone while it's hot, and add as much jam/cream as you like! There is something wonderful about splitting open the scone to reveal the warm dough in the middle. Beware the small people though, they like to eat the jam and cream straight out of the bowls or off the scone itself! Check out the spoon all lined up to go in the shot below :-)

So there you go, the first Recipe from Life. And some photos of glistening jam :-) One day soon I will make a link so that we can find all of these recipes easily, in just one click. Until then, I hope you are enjoying yummy things! I'm off to hunt for an amazing bakery in Adelaide next week, will take some pics to share.

What are the recipes you cook over and over, or where are the bakeries you go to again and again? The ones that hold your life together? And make sure life sweet! Tell me, I'd love to add them to my list!