Baked By The Sea in Hastings began with a love of baking for family and friends and as demand grew, the business was born.
Along with traditional cream teas, sweet and savoury scones and chocolate brownies, all of the homemade goodies are beautifully packaged and posted, making the perfect gifts for others (or yourself). However, if you would like to have a go at baking scones at home, the owners Zofia Ludwig and Leann Cruttenden have shared their basic scone recipe with you.
Scone recipe from Baked by the Sea
To make 4 plain scones:
10oz self raising flour
2.5 oz unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
1.5 oz caster sugar
1 teaspoon of allspice
3-4 heaped tablespoons of natural yogurt
• Line your baking tray with greaseproof paper and pre-heat your oven to 200 C (non-fan). Place the baking tray in the oven so this heats through too.
• Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl
• Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub into the flour, creating fine breadcrumbs.
• Add sugar and allspice and stir
• Add 3 heaped tablespoons of natural yogurt and gently fold into the mix, take care not over mix as your hands will be doing the work in the next step!
• Using your hands, combine the yogurt with the breadcrumbs, gently twisting your hand to bring all of the ingredients together.
• Should the mix feel too dry add more yogurt, small amounts at a time
• When the mixture has come together in a ball remove from the bowl onto a floured surface.
• Gently knead the dough to make it smoother, increasing in firmness gradually.
• When the dough is ready, use a pastry cutter to cut four circles of about 1.5” thickness each.
• Baste the tops with milk.
• Place on pre-heated baking tray and bake for approx 14 mins or until risen and golden brown on top.
• Enjoy with a cup of tea and clotted cream and jam.
Here’s a few extra tips to make the perfect scone:
Just before cutting your dough, lift the pastry up and place back down to allow air in. This will help with the rise of the scones.
Take care not to let the basting milk run down the sides of your scones as this can hinder the rise.
Place your scones close together in the oven as this will help achieve a better rise.
Once you have perfected this recipe why not try adding different flavours? Try Cheese and Onion, Brie and Cranberry, Raisins, Chocolate Chunks….the possibilities are endless!
