Last week I went to a jam and preserve-making workshop so this week NKOTB and I have both been indulging in scones for afternoon tea.
I’m not sure whether scones count as a ‘healthy’ snack for kids – it does involve refined flour and in the case of lemonade scones, lashings of cream and sweet lemonade. Nevertheless, given I’m all about fattening NKOTB up I figure it’s better than a chocolate bar or fast food in terms of calories. And somehow homemade seems healthier than store-bought.
Lemonade scones are a cheat’s way of making light and fluffy scones. If you Google ‘lemonade scones’ there are lots of versions out there but this recipe comes courtesy of Matthew Hayden, Queensland cricketing hero.
Lemonade scones – makes 9-12 depending on how big you like your scones
4 cups self-raising flour – You could try wholemeal flour but I suspect the scones won’t be as light.
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
300 ml cream – I’ve used double cream and single cream before, the only one I’d avoid is thickened cream because I’m not sure how the cornflour in it would react with the other ingredients
300 ml lemonade – I’ve used sparkling mineral water to good effect before if you want to reduce the sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven 220 degrees.
Sift flour and baking powder together with cream and lemonade. Mix gently until just combined – literally 10 seconds in the Kitchenaid. The more you work it, the more the gluten in the flour is activated and the tougher the scones.
Roll out gently into a floured surface and cut out rounds. The dough is particularly sticky but don’t be tempted to add more flour, it’ll just add more gluten and harden your scones. You know you will make an almightly mess.
Set out the rounds almost touching together on a lined baking tray (I use a reuseable silicon mat, a worthwhile investment over rolls of baking paper). You want the scones to rise high together and not spread flat while they’re being baked. No one ever tells you such tricks!
Bake for approx 20 minutes until golden. Eat with jam and cream or NKOTB actually prefers them plain with a cup of milk.
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