After watching my Mum eat a cheese scone on a lunch outing, I decided instantly that I needed to bake some myself: cheese scones have been my pregnancy allies! I didn't plan to make one big one like this, but in the interests of remaining faithful to my project, I followed Mary's instructions to the letter, planning to adapt it to make smaller scones the next time. However, I did substitute cayenne pepper for mild chilli powder, not having any of the former in our usually well-stocked spice cupboard. I found this a very easy recipe; the only element I had an issue with was the liquid. I had to break the egg into a measuring jug and then 'top up' with milk to make a certain quantity of liquid. My hand wasn't steady enough and I poured a bit too much milk in, so the exact science of baking was disrupted slightly. I didn't use all of the liquid, but I do think the mixture was too wet, despite giving it a good knead in the flour on the work surface. At least I have some notion of the texture it shouldn't be - the 'doughy' nature of the bake only really became apparent once I'd cut into it and found a stodgy bit in the middle. Perhaps I didn't bake it for long enough, but there was definitely a soggy centre. This also turned a rather unappetising shade of grey over the next day or so! That said, it tasted good, and any further baking might've spoilt the outside of it, which was nicely browned when I took it out of the oven.
Baker's verdict: a bit of an experiment, with a few flaws I think I can easily rectify. I didn't get much scone for my effort - part of me thinks buying them in the shop would be just as rewarding, but the taste was great, and of course it was lovely served warm from the oven with lots of butter.
Husband rating: 7.5/10 - very tasty, just a bit doughy in the middle. Lovely and cheesy; don't normally like cheese scones but this was very nice and had a nice tang to it as well.
*UPDATE*
I followed this recipe the other day to make a batch of scones and they turned out really well. I had cayenne pepper this time, which actually made them a bit too spicy, so I'd either omit or put less in next time. I'm definitely coming on as a baker, as I was more careful with the liquid and got a better consistency, without using all of it. I tried not to 'overwerk' as Paul Hollywood would say, and didn't twist the cutter when I cut out the scones - these are little tricks I've picked up over the years. They got a pretty good rise, and apart from being a bit on the hot side, were really tasty. I'm looking forward to making more!
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