Big Orange Scone

One big dessert or tea scone in an 8 x 8 inch cake pan, cut to serve. 

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt.
2. In a cup, beat egg lightly. Add egg to milk and juice.
3. Cut butter into flour mixture.
4. Add raisins or dates to flour and butter mixture.
5. Stir in liquid ingredients.
6. Mix well but don't overbeat.
7. Turn dough into a greased 8 x 8 inch pan.
8. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven, in the middle of the oven, 30 minutes.

No-Egg Scones

An Australian prize-winning recipe made with or without egg.

Use a round 2" diameter scone or cookie cutter.

NOTE: If you only have a cup of milk, add a whisked egg to the milk. If you are adding the egg, you must reduce milk to 1 cup.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C 180 C convection or 390 degrees F.

Place your baking tray/cookie sheet to preheat in the oven.

Sift together THREE TIMES:

• 3 cups flour
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Put in a bowl and rub in:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) chilled butter, cubed.

Make a well in centre. Pour into well:

•  about ¾ of 1-1/4 cups milk.

Use a knife to mix milk through flour to mix to a soft dough.

Add remaining milk if needed to form a soft dough.

Turn out onto floured board and lightly knead.

Mixture should be handled as lightly as possible and patted into shape with hands.

Cut dough into shapes as desired and brush over with a little milk. 

Remove baking sheet from oven and flour lightly. 

Place scones on the tray.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until a rich golden brown.

Marilyn's Raisin Scones

The winter I was in my last year of high school, my boyfriend borrowed his mom's car and drove over for a visit after dinner three times a week. He seemed to time his arrival so that he walked in the door, letting in a blast of cold air, just as my mom was taking dessert out of the oven. She used to make these once a week, and served them warm, spread with melting butter. If you were lucky she'd open a tin of peaches too.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt (1/2 tsp)
• 1/3 cup cold butter (if you are short of butter use only 1/4 cup, but the scones will be more crumbly)
• 1 large egg, beaten in a measuring cup, and add milk to fill 1 cup
• 2 handfuls of raisins (1 handful is okay and if you don't have any they're fine plain with jam.)

1. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives.
3. Add raisins.
4. Crack the egg into a measuring cup, beat, and add milk to bring the mixture to the 1 cup (250 ml.) level.
5. Pour the egg/milk mixture into the bowl and stir until blended.
6. Using a large spoon, drop dough onto a baking sheet so that each scone is about the size of a small dinner roll (makes about 10 scones.)
7. Bake in preheated 425 degree F oven  about 12-15 minutes till golden.
8. Serve warm, plain or with butter or jam.