Irish buttermilk scones
Tall, light scones for afternoon tea, with jam and cream
Irish scones are the centre of afternoon tea in hotels and country houses from Galway to Wicklow, and the bake that every Irish cook makes from memory. Buttermilk makes them light and tender with a faint tang, and an egg wash gives the glossy golden top. Serve warm, split, with butter, raspberry jam and whipped cream. Chef's tip: press the cutter straight down without twisting; twisting seals the edges and stops them rising tall.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 16 oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 ⅜ oz caster sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 ⅛ oz cold butterdiced
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 eggbeaten, for glazing
- 6 tbsp raspberry jam (optional)to serve
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan) and line a tray. Sift the 16 oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 ⅜ oz caster sugar and ¼ tsp salt into a bowl and rub in the 3 ⅛ oz cold butter until it looks like breadcrumbs.
5 minStep 2: Whisk the 1 egg into the 1 cup buttermilk, pour most of it in and mix quickly with a knife to a soft, slightly sticky dough, adding the rest if it is dry.
2 minStep 3: Turn out, pat gently to 3 cm thick and cut rounds with a 6 cm cutter; press the scraps together once. A common mistake is rolling it thin, which gives flat scones.
4 minStep 4: Set on the tray, brush the tops with 1 egg and bake for 12–15 minutes, until risen and golden and they sound hollow underneath. Serve warm with 6 tbsp raspberry jam.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does irish buttermilk scones take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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