Scones and a visit to Scotland

I like to keep my posts limited to food and restaurants, but this week I am in Scotland and wanted to also share a few pictures. These are from the area around Pitlochry. It’s still quite “fresh” in this part of the world, and while Spring is clearly a few weeks behind London, there are still some amazing plants if you look for them. I loved the pink baby pine cones and a curiously photogenic fungus growing on tree stump amidst the moss.

But, as always, there needs to be a foodie element. No trip to Scotland is complete without some decent fresh scones. You can of course buy them in stores, but that is something of a scandal given just how simple they are to make and just how good they taste. Just flour, butter, eggs and milk.

These are great paired with lots of butter and either some local raspberry jam (another local favourite from great Perthshire raspberries) or heather honey, which has a fudge-like consistency and rich, intense flavour. I really recommend getting hold of either if you can.

For 12 scones:

• 275g self-raising flour
• 75g butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 125ml milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Rub together the flour, baking powder and butter until it resembles rough breadcrumbs.

Mix the egg and milk, and add to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined – be careful not to over-mix. It will be quite soft and wet.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll out to around 2 cm thick. Use a cutter to form the scones. Place on a well-floured baking sheet a few inches apart and brush the tops with a little milk.

Bake for around 15 minutes until the scones are risen and golden.

Worth making? This recipe is super-easy and always goes down a storm. You can also vary the recipe is you want – either add a couple of handfuls of sultanas, or if you like them savoury, add 50g of grated strong cheddar. The secret is to keep the dough quite wet, so that the scones puff up in the oven.