I make scones without a Kitchenaid - it's all done by hand and I honestly think they come out far better this way.
Key things:
1. Butter needs to be room temperature not cold. Take butter out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you need it.
2. Make sure your hands are cold -rinse your pulse points under cold running water for 30 seconds and your hands/fingers will cool down.
3. Cut the butter into the flour using a knife. Resist smooshing it or flattening it. Keep cutting into the flour until the butter pieces are as small as say a peanut, then rub with your (now cool and refreshed) fingertips until the mixture looks more like breadcrumbs. Some pieces of butter will be flat and ugly-looking but this is fine.
RECIPE:
Preheat oven to 425 degs F
1. Sift 225 g of self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 75 g of butter, cut into small lumps. Cut it in and now rub with fingertips.
3. Add 40 g of caster (superfine) sugar and mix in with a wooden spoon. Caster sugar is at Balducci's and Dean & Deluca (cheaper from the latter believe it or not).
4. In a bowl, beat one large egg together with 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and start to add it to the rubbed-in
mixture.
5. When it begins to come together, finish off with your hands –it should be soft but not sticky (if the dough seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk, a teaspoon at a time). Gather into a ball shape.
6. Now roll out your dough. Take great care not to roll the dough any thinner than 1 inch (2.5 cm) –this is supposedly the secret of well-risen scones. Use a silpat if you don't have a marble counter top. If you have neither of these, roll the dough out on a worksurface sprinkled with sufficient flour to ensure smooth rolling.
7. Use a 2 inch round cutter to cut out the scones –place the cutter on the dough and give it a sharp tap –don't twist it, just lift it up and push the dough out. Carry on until you are left with the trimmings, then bring these together to roll out again until you can cut out the last scone.
8. Place the scones on a lightly greased baking tray that has been dusted with flour. Brush them lightly with a little more buttermilk then dust with flour. Bake in a hot oven @ 425°F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are well-risen and golden brown, then remove them to a wire rack to cool.
Serve with *clotted cream, butter and jam. Oh, and a cup of tea!
*You can find clotted cream imported from Devon, UK at Rodmans and Balducci's.
