Thursday 3 April 2014

LLB Scones - or, The Easiest Scones You'll Ever Make

As a perceptive reader of my blog has pointed out, when one posts a soup recipe it is only right to provide a tasty bread to go on the side. And I have one! A few weeks ago I made The Easiest Scones in the World. Were you ever told that it was impossible to stuff up scones? I, too, was told this myth. Perfect scones were an impossibility in my experience. Too dry, too stodgy, too floury - I could never get them just right.

Then I met Allyson Gofton's 'Bake' book. I've just discovered that she also publishes her recipes online here. Her 'Waiheke Lemonade Scones' (I assume named for the Island north of Auckland, popular for day trips and weddings) contain three ingredients: cream, self-raising flour and lemonade. However, I had a bottle of Lemon Lime and Bitters (LLB) kicking around in the fridge - I bought 'diet' by accident, will ALWAYS check the labels now! Hence LLB scones were born. You can't taste the soft drink in the scones, and as far as I can tell it's there to provide the liquid for binding and carbonation for rising. 

These scones are truly un-stuff-up-able. They are unbelievably light and soft-textured. And they go beautifully with soups, or jam and cream cheese, or just on their own when hot out of the oven. I think it would be worth substituting regular cream with coconut cream to reduce the fat or lactose content. 

LLB Scones

2 cups self-raising flour
¾ cup Lemon Lime and Bitters )or any other carbonated beverage e.g. lemonade)
½ cup cream

Set the oven rack towards the top of the oven. Preheat the oven to 220ÂșC. Dust a baking tray with flour or line with baking paper. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre.


The recipe for deliciousness has these three ingredients :)
Pour the lemonade and cream into the centre and use a knife to mix together to make a soft dough.



If the dough's a little too moist (i.e. leaves batter on your fingers) then add a little flour and mix in.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly - I prefer to knead dough while it's still in the bowl, then spread it onto the floured tray.



Pat into an 18-20 cm round or other preferred shape and place on the prepared tray. Use a sharp cook's knife to make the scone into 8 even wedges without cutting all the way through. Or, as I prefer, shape into a rectangle and cut into approx. 12 squares spaced just apart (see image below). The cut squares will rise against each other, helping them to bake through - or so my Mum tells me!


Brush with milk to glaze. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. 


Different stages of risen-ness (using slightly different iPhone camera filters)


How'd that one get in there?!

Transfer to a clean tea towel covered cake rack to cool. Serve warm.


Unbeatably light! 
Here's a flock of 'em, ready to eaten quick-smart.
Variation: add a cup of cheese and half a cup of cooked bacon to the flour mixture. You won't taste the LLB/lemonade at all! Mmm...savoury yums!


  
This method of cutting up scone dough is what I grew up with - I'll never get sick of it!
This batch provided much-needed sustenance before an important rock concert ;-)

There you have it - the lightest and easiest scones you'll ever make! Grab one before they head out the door... The plain ones are delicious with jam and cream cheese, and both varieties are best served warm.

Soon only the crumbs with be left

4 comments:

  1. If you want another no-fail but light scone recipe that avoids the high fat content then google buttermilk scone recipe by Annabelle White. Very easy.

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  2. I like your blog. It has lots of good photos and funny captions \(^_^)/

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  3. I just made these and they are beautiful!!

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    1. Hi there, that's great! They are both easy to make and delicious :)

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