Scones. Plain and Cinnamon

My favourite memory as a child is seeing my Old Nanny, my Dad's Mum.  Old Nanny was the best, she gave the best hugs and we got train Easter eggs, then there were the Passion fruit I was allowed to pick and eat when ever we went to see her.

The one memory that stands out was after she went into the Oldies home, we used to have Nana over for dinner on the weekend and Mum would always do a nice family dinner with a dessert.  The one thing Nana loved was Mum's Cinnamon Scones.

Nana used to get me to help her put some aside for her to take home with her,  sneaky Old Nanny!  We used to rap them in her clean hanky and slip them in her knitting bag.  However Mum did catch her doing this and from then on a double batch was made with the rest going back to the Oldies for a midnight snack.

I have tried many scone dough's over the years,  the Woman's weekly cookbook version, the flour and cream version, the lemonade version.  However I found a dough that I really like, but it all comes down to personal preference.

3 cups plain flour
300g butter (cold and chopped) plus 2 extra tablespoons
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

In your mixing bowl sift the dry ingredients, make sure your butter is cold and chopped into cm cubes, put into the dry ingredients and turn your mixer on low, if you don't have a cover for your mixer bowl put a clean tea towel around the bowl top to stop flour covering you and the kitchen.

Mix until the butter is still chunky and pea sized.

In a bowl or measuring jug mix the milk and eggs.  Pour into your dry ingredients while the mixer is on low.  Once all combined turn mixer up to medium for a minute then turn off.  The mixture will look very sticky!

Turn the mixture out onto a floured bench, you will need to sprinkle extra flour over the top of the mixture as it will be very sticky.  I split my dough in half.

Cinnamon Scones.

Roll the  dough to half a cm thick and cut out with large cutter.  I use an egg ring.

In a bowl melt some extra butter and brush half the dough with melted butter,  fold the scones in half, brush the top with melted butter then flip the scone butter side down in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.


Place on baking sheet.  When all done place in the fridge to firm up again.

Plain Scones.

Roll the dough to about 2 cm thick of thicker if you desire.  With a cutting ring cut the dough and place on baking sheet.  When all done place in the fridge to firm up again.

Tip from a CWA winning scone maker.  Always place your scones on the baking sheet the opposite way up from the cut, this is to allow them to get the maximum rise.

Cooking the Scones.

Pre heat your oven to 200C.  Place your scones in the oven directly from the fridge and bake for 20 mins.

To serve split the cinnamon scones in half and butter, eat while hot. 

Plain scones are best served with jam and cream.