Anyone with an apple tree might recognise the mixture of relief and excitement when you find another way to make use of those seasonal apples that are Newtoning off the tree on a daily basis. Admittedly, this recipe will only account for one apple from your bumper harvest – But if you make batches for your friends & neighbours, or give them the recipe, there is good potential…. Either way, these scones are quick, easy to make and very delicious! Get a really strong cheddar & add more to taste.
Cheese and Apple Scones (Makes about 10)
225g SR flour (or plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
40g butter
130g very strong cheddar
1 eating apple
150ml whole milk
Gaze lovingly at your Aga, or turn your gas/electric oven on to 220C.
Take the butter straight from the fridge and add it to the flour in roughly chopped pieces. Rub it in to the flour till there are no big lumps left. It may look like fine breadcrumbs, if you’ve ever actually seen a bowl of fine breadcrumbs.
Peel, core & dice that apple! Grate the cheese & stir about 100g into the flour together with the diced apple. Pour in the milk & mix it all together to get a dough.
Plop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and just pat & prod it quickly into shape till it’s about an inch thick (2.5cm if you prefer metric consistency in your recipes.)
Cut out individual scones using a drinking glass or proper cutter ring if you have one. Put the scones on to a baking tray, well spaced in anticipation of their rise to Scone-ness.
Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese onto the scones and put into the oven for 15-18 minutes at 220C, or bottom shelf of Aga roasting oven for about 10 minutes. They’re done when they’ve gone golden, your kitchen is filled with the aroma of hot cheesey scones and the little 1” scones have whooshed upwards.
Brilliant still warm from the oven!
If they don’t whoosh upwards, it’s not going to help to cook them for another half hour. That will just give you incinerated scones. Instead, call your low rise product Cheese & Apple Drop Scones, and carry on. For more rise next time, try a little more baking powder, or working more quickly once the SR flour has got wet.
This recipe is dedicated to all new friends on our More to… FB page. Thank you!
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