WWII Scones

Scones are marvellous because you can do practically anything with them, savoury, sweet, hot, cold smothered in jam and cream or plain with a cup of tea.

The basic scone recipe is taken from Eating for Victory, which contains reproductions of World War II cooking instructions, the additions are my own.

The basic recipe for sweet scones;

6 ounces of self raising flour
1 ounce caster sugar
1 ounce of butter
about 1/4 pint of milk

Additions:

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
A few drops vanilla essence
A handful of sultanas

Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15-20 mins

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

2. Sift the flour, sugar and cinnamon together.
3. Rub in the butter to fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add all the other ingredients, apart from the milk, and stir in.
5. Slowly add the milk a little at a time to form a dry-ish dough. It should hold cleanly together. To keep the scones light and airy, mix the milk in with a pallet knife and avoid touching the dough to the until the last minute.
6. Divide the dough into 6, 8 or 12 sections and roll into rounds.
7. Place on to a greases baking tray and cook in the centre of the oven at 180°C for 15-20 mins, or until the scones are golden brown.
8. Serve with butter, jam, cream or other nice things like a cup of tea.

Variations

Chocolate and cinnamon fruit scones
As above and,
1 desert spoon of cocoa or Milo drinking chocolate

Carrot, apple and sultana scones

As above and,
1 inch of grated carrot
1/2 apple, grated
1 teaspoon of mixed ground spice.

Squeeze out the excess juice from the grated apple and carrot before adding it to the mix and allow an extra 5-10 mins cooking time if the dough is wet.

From the top Clockwise; Sultana x2, sultana and spice x2, Chocolate and cinnamon x4
Middle: carrot and apple x 4