Romancing the Scone *

My first blog entry does not have Milo or Nutella as its main ingredient, but it certainly can go well with a big dollop of Nutella slathered on it and a mug of Milo on the side. Though of course, more traditionally it goes hand in hand with a cuppa tea and some jam and cream. So here it is, a lingering colonial legacy that we do enjoy; the good ‘ol tea scones. I thought it appropriate too to start with this recipe as it had made its way to a many Forestry school potlucks (where the authors of this blog met) and seemed to continue to have a following.

This recipe is adapted from the King Arthur’s cookbook. I was house-sitting at Julie’s in New Haven and came upon this recipe. I often made scones at home in Malaysia but usually with butter. As I am a big fan of sour cream and the recipe looked so simple, I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. The first time I made it, I still remember…it was rainy outside and I decided to have some friends over for tea time. Warm scones on a rainy day; it was lovely. The scones were just perfect to have along side some Earl Grey tea. My favorite way of eating this is with whipped cream (or clotted cream) and strawberry preserves. I also have to put a vote in for melty nutella with sliced fresh strawberries.

I think the thing about scones is that like Milo and Nutella, there are all about comfort. They are the kind of food that you can embrace and it embraces you back. A food hug! Seems silly I guess to think of a big giant scone giving one a hug. But I think that is the essence of comfort food. You can exhale, drop in a chair, and just sit back and relax, catch up with friends and enjoy the food (or the beverage) and most of all, the moment.

So here it is, my debut recipe on this blog, an old favorite, the Sour Cream Scones. I dedicate this to my lovely ladies (Jo, Shim and Upik) whom I have enjoyed many a tea-time with. Here's to many more!

Recipe: Sour Cream Scones
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cups sugar
1 cup sour cream

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt into a bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Add sour cream and mix until it forms a dough (the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable). Add a couple more tablespoons of flour if it is too wet. With well floured hands, divide the dough into three balls (if you prefer larger scones, divide the dough into two). Sprinkle some flour over the dough and pat each ball of dough into a round disc of about 1.5 inch thickness. Cut each disc into 4 wedges with a sharp knife (dip knife in some flour first so it won’t stick to the dough). Place on baking tray, bake in oven preheated at 220 C or 450 F for about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy while warm.

* I totally borrowed this cheesy title from an article I saw online.