Scones the Irish Way

I had a little buttermilk left today after making the Wheaten Bread so rather than waste it I decided to throw a few scones together. Always a treat straight from the oven with a cup of tea. There are countless recipes and variations for scones. One thing stands clear. Buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda will give a better rise and a much lighter scone than if plain/sweet milk and Baking Powder are used.

Irish Scones

8oz/225gms Plain flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking soda
1-2oz/25-50gms Butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4pint/150mls Buttermilk

Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl.
Cut up the butter and rub in
Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough which is just firm enough to handle
Turn out onto a floured worktop and shape quickly and lightly into a round approximately 1 inch/2.5cms thick. (preferably thicker than thinner)
Cut into rounds and lay on a floured baking sheet
Bake at 200.c /400F/ Gas 4 for about ten mins until well risen and brown.
This should give you about eight scones

Tip: If you have no buttermilk, lemon juice added to ordinary milk and left for a little while will work quite well.