Classic Scones

I LOVE tea! I love drinking it, I love the tea cups, I love the way it makes you slow down and savor, and I love the pastries that are eaten with tea. Yes, I live in the Pacific NW and don't drink coffee. The only other person I've found here that doesn't drink tea are my two good friends from England. We love getting together for tea and scones as often as we can. I couldn't be a contributor to a blog without a section labeled "tea recipes" of course.

My sister emailed me asking me for a scone recipe, one that had easy, simple, frequent, ingredients-already-in-the-house-don't-have-to-go-to-grocery-store-with-three-kids-in-tow ingredients. Our grandmother had given her a jar of lemon curd and she wanted to make scones. Since I'm the tea queen, I of course have the perfect scone recipe.

I made the recipe with rice milk and it works fine (it wasn't even chilled). Of course chilled, whole milk gives it a rich, fluffy, creamy texture, but feel free to use whatever % milk is in your fridge. You may also add currents, raisins, or craisins. Scones can be served with fresh whipped cream and jam, lemon curd, or butter. All I could find in the fridge today was cream cheese, so I added a little sugar and vanilla to that, whipped it up and no one complained! I have a good friend that makes these and freezes them (I think she keeps them there just for when I come over to visit!) Don't forget to serve the scones with a cup of hot tea!!!

CLASSIC SCONES

2 1/4 cups Flour
1 Tbl Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cups (or more) chilled whole milk
1 large egg
1 Tbl vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk 3/4 cup milk, egg, and oil in small bowl to blend. Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients, tossing until moist clumps form and adding more milk by tablespoons if dough is dry. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently for several turns until dough comes together.

Pat out dough to 1" thick round. Using 2 1/2" diameter cutter, cut out scones (You can also cut into triangles.) Gather dough scraps; press out to 1" thickness to cut more.

Bake 425 until golden on top and tester is clean about 14 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes.