Fresh, warm scones are a treat any time of the year but especially at Christmas. I prefer them plain or with dried currants or sultanas, but various additions are popular, from blueberries to nuts to chocolate, as well as savory options.

You’ll find a number of my fictional characters enjoying scones, often amid rising tension in their lives, e.g.,  charming, haunted art thief, mythologist and Cotswolds farmer Oliver York. Although “enjoying” might be too strong for the scone renowned private art detective Wendell Sharpe brings him in a pinch:

“I brought you coffee and a scone,” he said, handing Oliver a small bag. “I decided against tea. I figured coffee would go down better after a night in the rain, and personally I hate cold tea.”

Oliver welcomed the warmth of the coffee inside the bag. He knew he must look dreadful. “My high-tech emergency blanket worked reasonably well to keep me dry. Didn’t help with the rocks and tree roots, unfortunately.” He placed his jacket on the stone wall in front of a holly tree, the only spot not covered in dripping moss and foliage. “Thank you.”

“Coffee will get cold soon and the scone’s leaden.”  ~Thief’s Mark by Carla Neggers

I can’t say I haven’t made a leaden scone or two myself but I’ve had great success with this simple recipe.

A Recipe for SCONES

Ingredients

3 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 sugar (less or more to taste) 3/4 c butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg, beaten
1 c whole milk

For glaze (optional)

1 egg, beaten with 1/4 tsp water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a baking sheet with butter and dust lightly with flour.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix butter pieces into flour until it resembles a coarse meal.

Mix beaten egg and milk together in a small bowl.

Make a small well in the butter-flour mixture and add the egg-milk mixture. Stir gently until just moist. Do not overmix.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the dough holds together. Pat dough (don’t roll with a pin) into a circle about one-inch thick. Cut into 8 triangles and place on the baking sheet. (An alternative is to cut the dough with a two-inch biscuit cutter.)

Brush the scones with egg-water mixture prior to baking (optional). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve scones with clotted cream and jam or marmalade of your choice.

Visit my recipes page for a printable version of this and other recipes.

Enjoy!