Smoked cheese, Parmesan and black pepper provide a delicious savoury twist on this afternoon tea staple. Serve these scones simply warm and buttered, or with smoked salmon, cress and cream cheese.
Difficulty: *
Makes: 16-18 Scones
Prep Time: 30 mins
Bake Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
| 500g | All plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting |
| 1 tablespoon | bicarbonate of soda/baking powder |
| 1/4 teaspoon | cracked black pepper, plus extra for sprinkling on top |
| 250g | unsalted butter, chilled |
| 175g | grated smoked Cheddar cheese |
| 50g | finely grated Parmesan cheese |
| 75ml | warm whole milk |
| 1 egg | plus 1 beaten egg for brushing |
5cm/2-inch round cookie cutter
How To Make Smoked Cheese & Black Pepper Scones
Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C (425°F) Gas 7.
Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda together into a mixing bowl and add the cracked black pepper.
Cut the cold butter into cubes and rub with your fingertips into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add 125 g/41⁄2 oz. of the grated smoked Cheddar cheese and all the grated Parmesan and mix in.
Add the warm milk and egg and mix until combined. The mixture should be soft and sticky.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the mixture out to a thickness of about 2.5 cm/1 inch. Use the round cutter to stamp out rounds but DO NOT TWIST as you cut! Just pull straight up.
Space the scones out over two non-stick baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle over some extra cracked black pepper and scatter over the remaining grated smoked Cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the scones are lightly brown and have puffed up. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Serve with fillings of your choice. The scones will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
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Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery by Annabel Lui & Emily Lui (Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99) Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small |