How To Make Scones Masterclass
Fri Apr 06 2018
We have teamed up with the ‘King of Bread’ Patrick Ryan, Firehouse Bakery, for a new recipe series. Patrick will be showcasing how to make different doughs and new bread recipes.
So moving slightly away from bread Patrick shows us how to perfect the humble scone. He has put his own twist on these ones adding apple, cinnamon and berries. Follow his step by step masterclass and you will impress you guests with these delicious scones.
Apple, Berry & Almond Scones
Makes 12 scones
Ingredients:
- 650g plain flour
- 100g caster sugar
- 20g baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 125g cold butter, diced
- 1 large apple (or 2 medium) peeled & diced
- 2 eggs
- 300ml buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Handful fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries or blackberries)
- Handful flaked almonds
- Icing sugar, to dust
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan assisted.
- In a large clean bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. Rub the diced butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mix resembles breadcrumbs in texture. Add the diced apple to the flour mixture.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla to the flour, combine all the ingredients together to form a rough dough.
- Turn the scone mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until all the flour has been combined.
- Using a rolling pin to roll out the scone mixture to about 1-inch thickness. Cut the scones using a floured cutter and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper evenly spaced apart.
- Make an indentation into the centre of each scone using your thumb. Brush the top of each scone with a beaten egg. Stuff the indentation in each scone with 1 to 2 fresh berries of your choice and top with flaked almonds.
- Place the scones in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 16 to 18 minutes. Half- way through baking, rotate the baking tray in the oven to ensure an even bake.
- Once baked allow to cool on a wire rack before, then dust with icing sugar and serve with preserves & cream, or better yet, clotted cream.
Patrick Ryan is the face behind the Firehouse Bakery. Having swapped laws books for chef knives Patrick now spends his days returning bread to its rightful place as King of the table. Having worked throughout Ireland, Australia and the UK Patrick returned home to set up the Firehouse Bakery. Despite the ongoing recession at the time Patrick choose to stage his bread revolution with the opening of his bread school on Heir island off the coast of West Cork.
His message is simple “bread is king”. He wants everyone to have good bread, all of the time. And not just good bread, but bread that is good for you, bread that does you and your body good and he will even show you how to make your own. 5 years on from what began on an island of 27 people the Firehouse Bakery has grown from strength to strength. Patrick operates an award winning bakery and cafe in Delgany Wicklow where you will find an open plan bakery, a bustling cafe and wood fired oven, His bread can be found in cafe and restaurants throughout Dublin and the bread school on Heir island appears to be always fully booked. Patrick is a founding member of realbread Ireland and is also a Failte Ireland Food Champion and with plans for new and exciting projects Patrick’s bread revolution is only getting started.
