Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups plain flour / all purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve amount for table salt, increase by 50% for flakes)
Dairy & Fats
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or tasty cheese (tightly packed; can use pre-shredded)
- 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 3/4 cup cold milk (preferably full fat), plus a little extra for brushing
Topping / Serving
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese, for topping
- Butter, for spreading when serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (fan-forced). This ensures it's at the right temperature when you're ready to bake.
- Pulse Dry Ingredients: In a food processor fitted with an 'S' blade, place the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse once to combine evenly.
- Add Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times until the butter pieces are about pea-sized, distributing them throughout the flour mixture. Alternatively, you can rub the butter into the flour by hand using your fingertips.
- Incorporate Cheese: Add 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese to the mixture. Pulse once just to mix it in slightly without overworking the dough.
- Add Milk: Pour the cold milk through the processor’s feed tube while pulsing 8 to 10 times until just combined. Avoid over-processing; the dough should be shaggy, a bit sticky, and only just incorporated.
- Shape Dough: Lightly flour your work surface (about 1 tsp). Scrape the dough onto it and bring it together into a ball gently, using minimal extra flour to avoid toughness.
- Form Scones: Place the dough ball on a sheet of baking paper. Pat and shape it into a thick round disc approximately 3 cm (1.2 inches). Brush the surface and sides with some milk, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top and gently press it in.
- Cut and Arrange: Cut the disc into 6 wedges. Separate the wedges by about 5 cm (2 inches) on the baking tray to allow space for rising during baking.
- Bake: Transfer the tray to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the scones have puffed up and developed a golden crust.
- Cool and Serve: Let the scones cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Serve warm with a generous smear of butter for best flavor.
Notes
- Cheese: Use any good melting cheese except mozzarella. Sharp vintage cheddar offers a punchy flavor, Swiss gives milder taste, and gruyere is great for premium scones. Pre-shredded cheese works well.
- Baking Powder: Using plain flour with baking powder yields a better rise than self-raising flour for this cheesy dough. The 3 teaspoon measure equals one tablespoon (15 ml), which is standardized internationally.
- By Hand: You can prepare these scones by rubbing the cold butter into the flour using your fingertips or a flour cutter if you don’t have a food processor.
- Round Scones Option: Pat the dough to 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick and cut into 5-6 cm (2-2.4 inch) rounds. Bake for 15 minutes instead of 20.
- Cup Sizes: This recipe accounts for slight variations in cup sizes between countries. If using Japanese measures, rely on weights instead.
- Storage: Leftover scones keep well for 3 to 4 days but are best served warm. Reheat to freshen them before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
