August 23, 2022

Blackberry scones

Blackberry scones a go go! Friends if you’re anything like me and literally spy out bramble bushes ready to strike the minute the brambles ripen in the summer then this recipe is for you. I mean free food, need I say more, but we need versatile tasty recipes to use all those juicy fellas up with.

Bursting with flavour, the blackberry scones, with a hint of lemon are fab for breakfast or a cheeky teatime munch.

If you’re interested, I found this fab seasonal fruit and veg planner, which really helps to know when everything is at its freshest and tastiest, check it out.

Blackberry scones

Recipe

450g self rising flour

200ml milk (maybe a little less, depending on how the flour absorbs the milk)

100g unsalted butter (cold)

Zest 2 lemons

1 ½ tsp baking powder

200g frozen blackberries (you can use fresh, but frozen keep their shape better when you mix into the dough and they won’t bleed their purple colour as much)

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

60g caster sugar

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Sieve the self-rising flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.

Add chopped fridge cold butter to the mixture and rub together with the tips of your thumb and fingers in a fluttery motion. Do this until it looks like bread-crumbs or an oat mixture. It’s okay if some of the butter hasn’t fully combined. That will help make lighter scones when they bake.

Stir in the caster sugar.

Stir in the frozen/fresh blackberries and lemon zest.

Stir in the milk mixture gradually by hand (this is messier but will help you get the right texture. You’re looking for a dough that holds together and isn’t sticky. Otherwise you’ll need to add more flour which will alter the texture of the scones. Different types of flour absorb liquid differently, so add the milk gradually and judge whether you need the last of the milk.)

Once the scone dough has come together, turn out onto a lightly floured board and cut the scones into triangles and place on a lined baking tray.

Brush each scone with some milk. Bake for about 10-15 mins in the middle of the oven until lightly golden and puffed.

Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool and then dust with icing sugar.

Scones are best eaten on the day, but will last 2 days in an airtight container. You can also reheat them gently in a moderate oven for a few minutes to freshen them up if you are eating them the next day.