Thursday, January 5, 2017

Rainy days entice me to bake...

The rain came.
This may not be a big deal to you but for our area it's more than welcome after years of drought, especially a drought in the tropics.
Our city's dam is below 18% and we're desperately in need of a real wet season again.

So when the rain began to fall one day, and then the next - well, hopes lifted that this will continue.
Only time will tell.

Our back deck had puddles around my potted pineapple plants and herbs...


...and Mr Gnome had a refreshing bath.


It makes me happy to see raindrops glistening on green leaves, and that rainy day happiness usually bubbles over into some baking.



The other week when I showed photos of the scones I'd baked for Mr E there were some emails asking "Will you share the recipe?" so I baked more scones yesterday and wrote up the instructions.

We seriously enjoy a fresh baked batch of scones in our family so it was no problem to mix up another lot, the bonus being that scones are incredibly easy and quick to make - perfect for unexpected guests or a simple afternoon tea.


The recipe is HERE as a pdf download so you can print it up and pop in your recipe folder.

Here's a tip I learned from my Nana about making fluffy scones.

Once you have all the ingredients in your bowl combine your mix with a knife, not a wooden spoon.



Scones can become quite tough if mixed too much so you only mix until everything 'just' comes together, and using the knife as your mixing tool helps prevent roughing up the dough.

It's always worked for me!


Here's the dough ready to put on the baking tray.
Before turning it out sprinkle some flour over your hands. Scone dough should not be kneaded, just dropped on the tray and gently pushed into shape.



(you can also use a small glass to cut round shapes if you like fancy scones but we enjoy them as rustic pull-aparts)

Score the dough into as many pieces as you like with a sharp knife.
If you rub a little oil on the knife blade it will score easier and you'll avoid having dough stick to it.


Pop in the oven and bake.
This only takes 14 -15 minutes.


And this is your reward.
We smother ours with butter and jam or golden syrup. Totally delicious!


Leftovers are always enjoyed for breakfast the next day.

If only it was cold and raining instead of hot, wet and humid.
I'd probably give crochet or knitting a go.

Hope your day is rather lovely too,
hugs



19 comments:

Little Quiltsong said...

Thank you Jenny! I've tried your recipe once before and I couldn't get it to work properly. Great tips - I need to try this again. Love scones! Thank you also for your free project downloads that you so willingly share. I hope to do more embroidery work again. Enjoy your rain - rain makes me want to bake too!

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing ur recepi.. I'll try to baked.. Hopefully it will done well.. #igFollowerfromMalaysia

Jackie said...

Thank you for the recipe! I love eating scones. Got hooked on them when I visited England years ago. Have a wonderful rainy day!

Rosemary said...

So understand your feelings about the much needed rain. Here in Southern California we have been going through the same thing. We're having much needed, marvelously wet RAIN. So wonderful. I love to bake and rainy days are perfect for baking, reading, needlework!! I will be trying these scones. Look delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us. Looking forward to this months' club patterns.

Lace Faerie said...

Yay! Glad to hear of your longed-for rain! The joy you share in the simple pleasures of hearth and home always lifts my spirits. I may not comment often as I read my Bloglovin feed just before I close my eyes for the night, but I was look for your posts!

Thank you for all you share with us, stitcheries, recipes, devotions and reflections. May God bless you and yours with health, happiness, harmony and prosperity in this shiny new year! Blessing from the Pacific Northwet, as we joke! Instead of Northwest. *grin*

Joanne said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe Jenny!
I enjoy reading about the weather too!
Might snow here Saturday! Perfect weather for scones!
Then it's back to 5C om Monday.

Anonymous said...

I was happy to see our rains come, too, and that was just a few months of drought. I think I understand how you feel! Sadly, mine's going to become snow and I'm not much of a fan of snow - though it looks gorgeous and I don't mind when I have heat and nothing I have to do outside the house.

The scones look fabulous! I love orange scones, especially. It's cold enough here, I may make some and enjoy the extra heat when I open the oven afterward! Thank you.

Wendyb said...

I'm loving this rain. Must come for a visit to try your scones! *wink* xxx

Tammy said...

Thank you so much for the recipe...I adore scones.....Trying to remember did you have a recipe blog once? if so and its still active will you please post the link to it....Thank you for the recipes and fellowship and the wonderful projects & designs ....Hugs from South Carolina USA

Sherry said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe, I am sure this is one we will enjoy using. I hope the rain stays with you for a while. Have a beautiful day!

Guida said...

Thank you for the recipe, they look yummy. I pray you get your very wet season, if you do please send some rain our way. Take care, Guida.

Susan said...

Sounds very tempting.....I know you need the rain - but DD and SIL are moving this weekend so I hope it can ease off for a bit.
Thansk for the recipe Jenny

Jude said...

Thank you for sharing Jenny, your scones do look delicious, yours is same method I was taught by my dear Mum, Nana and High School, exception being using a fork to mix, similar effect to the knife. Not over mixing being stressed, oh and cut with knife and placed snuggled together on tray. There is no comparison to a home baked scone, many bakery ones taste like they are loaded with baking soda. I don't make them often enough these days, brings back memories of many years ago when my dear Mum passed away I stayed with Dad for many weeks and made scones every morning which we enjoyed and were comforting, I should try baking GF again for the grandies during the holidays. We are also enjoying some welcome gentle rainfall and cooler days down south. Good crafting weather. Am hoping for good beach weather for our grandies going down the coast to Jervis Bay for weeks holiday today. Hugs to you, Judithann :-)

jules said...

Thankyou so much for sharing your recipe with us.
I love the rain and how everything looks so fresh and bright following a shower.

Mary said...

OMG!!Thank You for the wonderful recipe, I cannot wait to try these, glad to hear you r getting much needed rain.

Ondrea said...

Love your tropical garden and your potted pineapple plants. Thanks goodness you got a lovely downpour. We have had rain on and off here and the past 2 days have been beautifully hot, tomorrow 36 degrees. The trouble is that we get a few hot days and then it gets cold again. Yummy scones. I treat myself occasionally when I go out for coffee but I am sure their scones are nothing like yours. I seem to remember my grandmother using a knife too. Funny, forgot all about that. I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.

Baa. xxx said...

Yay for rain! and those scones look yummo! Hope the rain continues......

Alejandra. http://hogaryestilodevida.blogspot.com.ar/ said...

Jenny bienvenida la lluvia! me gusta mucho ver que en otro continente tambien hace calor en enero :) yo soy de Argentina y tambiƩn necesitamos lluvias porque hay muchos incendios de bosques.
Un saludo desde el otro lado del mundo

Elaine said...

I have been baking scones for quite a few years and some recipes did give me trouble with the mixing. I've started using the knife technique and success with even the stickiest dough! Thanks for sharing this simple solution! We'll have them more often now. ;)