Bruces Prize Winning Cheese Scones Recipes

Steps:

• Sieve flour, salt, pepper and mustard together into a mixing bowl.
• Cut the margarine into smaller blocks, and then rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg and mix with the milk in a small basin.
• Make a well in the centre of flour mixture, add the cheese (save a little to sprinkle over the scones) and pour in a bit of the egg and milk mixture at a time, mixing with a blunt knife, until you get a soft, but not sticky dough. If you find the mixture too dry, you can add some more milk.
• Lightly flour the work surface so the dough doesn't stick, and roll out the dough until it is about half an inch (1cm) thick.
• Use a scone cutter (you can lightly dust it with flour to stop it from sticking) of a size of your choice and cut out the scones from the dough. You can keep gathering up the off-cuts and re-rolling it out until you use it all.
• Place the scones on a greased baking tray, or on baking paper in the tray and brush the tops with milk and sprinkle on some cheese.
• Bake at gas mark 8, 500 Fahrenheit or 250 Celsius for about 10 minutes, or until the tops have turned a golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or rubbing between your fingers until it is in pea sized lumps. Stir in the currants. Mix together 1/2 cup milk and sour cream in a measuring cup. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients, and stir gently until well blended. Overworking the dough results in terrible scones!
• With floured hands, pat scone dough into balls 2 to 3 inches across, depending on what size you want. Place onto a greased baking sheet, and flatten lightly. Let the scones barely touch each other. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Let them rest for about 10 minutes.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown, not deep brown. Break each scone apart, or slice in half. Serve with butter or clotted cream and a selection of jams - or even plain.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper and salt.
• Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the cheese.
• Add the buttermilk all at once, stirring with a fork to make a soft, sticky dough.
• With lightly floured hands, press the dough into a ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead gently 10 times.
• Pat out the dough into a 3/4-inch thick round.
• Using a 2-1/2-inch floured cutter, cut out rounds.
• Place on a ungreased baking sheet.
• Gather up the scraps and repat dough once; cut out more rounds.
• Brush the tops of the scones with egg.
• Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.