Culture

Every accomplished woman should know how to make a good batch of scones. Once mastered, you will be able to impress any future mother-in-law that comes your way. After all, isn’t that why us ladies attend university? To find a husband?

Throw that old Edmonds recipe out the window. Who has time for rubbing together butter into the flour and sugar? This recipe requires only four ingredients (excluding the dates, of course). All you need is plain flour, baking powder, lemonade and cream. The original recipe calls for self-raising flour but you can make that yourself by sieving together two teaspoons of baking powder into each cup of flour you require. So really there is never a reason to buy self-raising when you can just make it as you require. Add the cream and lemonade in equal parts. Depending on the humidity, you may need just under a cup of each.

For those of you new to the scone-making scene, here are Mummy Edmonds’ four scone commandments:

1. Do not over handle the dough. You will overwork the gluten and make them tough and chewy. The heat from your hands also does the dough no favours.
2. Use a knife to mix the dough ingredients. This prevents over handling and just works really well.
3. Place the scones close together on the baking tray. This will prevent them from drying out too much and will make them rise up rather than out.
4. Pat the tops of each scone with a bit of milk just before popping in the oven. It makes the tops all nice.

So next Sunday afternoon, whether sunny (like that is going to happen anytime soon) or dreary, and if you’re in need of a warming treat, just whip these out and you will be sure to impress.

Ingredients (16 Large Scones)

• 4 cups plain flour
• 8 teaspoons baking powder
• Approx. 1 cup of cream
• Approx 1 cup of lemonade
• 1 cup of dates, chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• Extra milk to pat the tops with
• Extra flour to roll the dough out with

Method

1. Soak the dates in boiling water for ten minutes. Drain then squeeze over the orange juice. Orange and date is a great flavour combo.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees on bake and line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. In a large bowl, sieve together the flour and baking powder. Stir through the dates soaked in orange juice (don’t drain out the juice).
4. Start with half a cup of cream and lemonade and use a knife to bring the dough together. Add the liquids in equal parts until a slightly sticky dough results.
5. Tip dough onto a floured bench and pat into a fat rectangle or circle shape about two to three centimetres thick. Use a flat-edged blade to slice the dough into squares or wedges. Transfer to a baking tray, making sure there is less than one centimetre between each scone. Pat with milk and sprinkle over the orange zest.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the sides don’t look raw and doughy.
7. Serve hot and fresh with jam, cream and whatever else your heart desires.