How to bake scones in South Africa

Make you breakfast less boring with Scones, as it can be enjoyed with homemade jam and freshly whipped cream in most homes in South Africa.

It is delicious when eaten warm, they are also served cold with a variety of toppings, including clotted cream, marmalade, jams, honey, and butters. These pastries are also made highly savory with ingredients like potato flour and cheese.

There are different variations of scone recipes that you can try based on the flavors you want to achieve.

Scones with self-raising flour 

Ingredients

• 150 ml of milk
• 225 g of self-raising flour
• 55 g of butter Pinch of salt
• 25 g of caster sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze or some little milk

Cooking directions

1. Preheat the oven to about 220 degree Celsius.
2. Grease a baking sheet lightly.
3. Mix the flour with the salt and then start rubbing the butter.
4. Add sugar, stir the mixture and then add some milk to achieve a soft dough.
5. Apply some flour on the working surface and then knead lightly.
6. Pat the flour to about a thickness of 2 cm.
7. Using a 2 cm cutter, stamp out rounded shapes and place them on a ready baking sheet.
8. Lightly knead together the remaining dough to stamp out more scones until it is all used up.
9. Use a beaten egg to brush the top surface.
10. Bake them for about 15 minutes for them to rise well and turn golden.
11. When cooked, cool them on the wire rack.
12. Serve them when still warm.

Scones with plain flour 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sifted plain flour
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 cup of canola oil
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup milk Butter, to serve
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• Your favorite jam, to serve

Cooking directions

1. Place a baking tray in the oven, and then preheat to about 200°C.
2. Mix plain flour, sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt using a large bowl.
3. Use a fork to whisk milk, oil, egg, and water inside a jug.
4. Now, add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients inside the bowl.
5. Mix carefully until all the ingredients are perfectly combined adding some more water if necessary.
6. Apply some flour on the working surface and then pat out the dough to achieve a thickness of about 2 cm.
7. Use a 5 cm scone cutter to punch out the scones.
8. Place them on a hot baking tray allowing sufficient spreading room. Bake them for about 10 minutes until they turn light golden.
9. Serve when hot with butter and jam.

Scones with cake flour 

Ingredients

• 2½ cups -cake flour
• 200 g -white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 100 g baking margarine
• 200 ml full cream milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of caramel essence
• 1 teaspoon apricot jam
• 60 ml tap water

Cooking directions

1. Preheat the oven to about 190ºC.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together.
3. Rub the butter with flour until the mixture resembles the fine breadcrumbs.
4. Mix egg, milk, and essence.
5. Now, cut into the dry ingredients taking care not to over mix.
6. On a floured surface, tenderly press together.
7. Cut using a large cookie cutter.
8. Place the resulting scones on a greased baking tray.
9. Place the trays in an oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, mix the glaze ingredients.
11. Once removed from the oven, brush them with the mixed glaze ingredients.
12. Serve while warm.

Scones with baking potatoes

Ingredient

• 2 medium – fork pricked baking potatoes
• 125 g flour
• 3-tablespoons of milk
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower or olive oil
• 50 g chilled butter and 25 g for frying
• 125 g of cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 225 g drained tin whole kernel corn
• I tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ½ a small red onion, finely chopped
• few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cooking directions

1. Microwave the potatoes to become tender and then cool them slightly.
2. In the meantime, make the salsa mixing all ingredients in the bowl and set them aside.
3. Mash 250 g of potato flesh inside a bowl with milk.
4. Rub butter and flour to form fine breadcrumbs and then mix them through the mash.
5. Stir a pinch of salt, black pepper, and thyme leaves.
6. Form a soft dough by kneading lightly, you may need to add an extra tablespoon of milk if the dough becomes too dry.
7. Roll the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of ½ cm.
8. Use the cutter to make 10 cm rounds.
9. Heat the butter and oil in a non-stick pan.
10. Cook the scones for about 2 minutes on every side until they turn golden brown.
11. Top about 3 pancakes with sliced chicken, corn salsa and tomatoes.