Mature Cheddar and Sage Scones
Serves: 8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Medium hard British cheese, close and firm in texture. Full flavoured, and relatively sharp to taste. Very versatile, can be used in a variety of dishes, and melts very well. One of the most popular cheese in the UK.
Ingredients
- 300g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp English mustard powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp sugar good pinch of black pepper
- 110g butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp sage, finely chopped
- 130g extra mature cheddar, plus extra for the topping, grated
- 200ml buttermilk
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
- In a bowl, sift the flour. Add to it, the baking powder, mustard powder, salt, sugar and black pepper. Add the butter, and rub it into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the sage and the cheese, and stir. Pour in the buttermilk, and combine until you have a sticky, spongy dough.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and form it into a round shape around 2cm thick. Use a circular pastry cutter to cut out the scone shapes, until all the dough has been used up.
- Place the scone shapes onto a floured baking tray and brush with buttermilk or egg wash, and a scattering of cheddar.
- Bake for 11-15 minutes, until the dough is risen and golden.
