SUNDAY's SCONES..... wafting aromas and a troublesome peddle.....

‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’ # 16    …‘ Sunday’s Scones… ’

                 “SUNDAY’s  SCONES…”

Scrumptious scones

A decision made:“Right-is-right…and wrong is not correct!”

As a kid, I remember, early Sunday mornings, my mom used to bake…and sometimes she’s bake for friends-and-neighbours too…

I must’ve been about 9 years of age, when sent to deliver scones on my bicycle, one of those early Sunday mornings…to ‘TheFamilyOfFive’ across the neighbourhood.

‘TheFamilyOfFive’ lived in a rather unusual attic apartment with quite French-style  dormer windows…riiigggggggggggght at the very, VERY  top of the most steepestflight of narrow, narrow stairs.

A dozen piping-hot, wonderfully fresh Sunday Scones wrapped in a couple of clean dishcloths to keep them warm, and packed in picnic basket, Young ‘cookingwithmavis’  was capable of riding the bicycle, whilst steering with one hand…a-and holding the picnic basket with the other.

And, what-do-you-know?...upon arrival at the curb of that pavement alongside the French-style  apartment-with-absolutely-no-garden-to-park-my-bike, I steadied that left peddle firmly on that pavement curb in Alexander Road, and promptly proceeded to trip over it!

That darn left peddle!….

Young ‘cookingwithmavis’   DROPPED-the-lot, but-one!…. And of course, having been brought-up with impeccable manners, thought about the situation, and conscience knew, that it just wasn’t right to scoop-up those escaping scones..scones what had become “Pavement Specials”, to proffer ‘TheFamilyOfFive‘ for their Sunday breakfast!

So, Young ‘cookingwithmavis’  threw ‘All-but-one’, those fallen souls, back into the basket..and carried the ‘One-and-only’ clean warm scone up that steep, steep flight of stairs, to the attic apartment for ‘TheFamilyOfFive’ to share! 

Decision made:“Right-is-right…and wrong is not correct !”

                                >>>>>>>>>VVVVVVVVVVVV<<<<<<<<<<<

And so to recipes….

                                    Easy Scones…

‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’ is not partial to difficult recipes…. So,“  easy”   is the only other option !

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt ( about teaspoon)

¼ cup sunflower oil

1 jumbo egg plus 1 egg yolk for brushing

Milk to top-up

A ball of scone dough

METHOD:

1)      Pre-heat oven to 200 *C

2)      Grease and flour a baking tray

3)      Sift dry ingredients (flour/baking powder/salt) into a bowl

4)      In a standard cup measure: Add ¼ cup oil, add 1 whole egg and top-up with milk to make 1 cupful

5)      ‘Cookingwithmavis’  has a distaste for kneading dough…and is terribly spoilt in the kitchen,  with the use of a Magimix food processor.

       I first put all the ‘wet’ ingredients into the processor (with dough blade fitted) then throw in all the dry ingredients, and blitz in a few short spurts till dough forms.

The simple, conventional method, if no processor in sight, is to sift all your dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl beat the “wet” ingredients, then add to that to the well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

Mix short and quick, till you have a sticky dough. (***Before you start, lightly oil your hands!)

6)      Onto a lightly floured work surface / cuttingboard, quickly, lightly pat the dough into a rectangle (approximately 20cm long x 10 cm wide…and I suppose 2.5cm to 3 cm high?)

7)      With a large, sharp non-serrated knife cut into 2 halves lengthways strips.

8)      Then cut each length into 4 equal SQUARE scones…YES! ‘Cookingwithmavis’   is practical…and NEVER  conventional!

9)      Place all 8 scones well apart on the floured baking sheet.

10)  To baste before putting into the oven:

In the already used bowl where you mixed the ‘wet ‘ingredients, mix the remaining egg yolk with ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon of milk, and a tiny dash of oil.

Mix well, and brush over each scone.

(If no basting brush, use the back of the spoon that you just used, to mix with!)

11)  BAKE FOR 12 MINUTES @ 200 * C  in middle of oven – till the tops are golden, light brown.

Traditionally serve with thick butter,  whipped cream and strawberry or apricot jam.

Tea and scones with strawberry jam and cream!

MMMMMmmmmm…………

Oh dear!…there ‘cookingwithmavis’  is , telling ‘You’   , the reader, what bloomin’ jam to use!

Preserved ginger…or green figs preserved in syrup ..or……………

                             senocSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSScones

And watch soon for blog : “ Of Overstuffed Chickens…..and Sitting Ducks ”  –the story of ‘Chunkie Abdomen’......

***** See how  “…’Mavis ”  got her name, in blog # 9 : ( “Clora”) –you’ll just need to scroll up to the top right of this page and click on the previous months!

‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’