Classic Cheese Scones

There is just something comforting about cheese scones, lathered up with butter and dunked into hot pumpkin soup. I think it is one of the reasons why I like the seasons changing towards Winter. The cayenne pepper gives these scones a nice kick that warms you from the inside, and then there was that time I put too much in though and discovered by spice levels.

Cheese scones are one of those comfort foods that just reminds me of my childhood, and the older I get, the more I find that these are becoming staples in my recipe collection.

I do remember Mum making cheese scones with lemonade, but for the life of me, I can’t remember how much she used.  Time to go on a mission and recover some of the family’s hidden recipes. While that happens, bake up these scones, dunk into some hot pumpkin soup and enjoy!

Ingredients

300g Plain Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

300g Chedder Cheese, grated

50g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

150g Milk

100g Butter, melted

Directions

• Preheat oven to 220ºC. Place a baking tray into the oven while it pre-heats.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix in the grated cheeses.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the milk and melted butter. Using knives, cut ingredients together until mixed; it should resemble a shaggy mess.
• Turn onto a floured bench and knead until just combined. Making sure not to over-knead.
• Flatten dough into a rectangle and cut into 8 pieces.
• Remove tray from oven, flour and place scones onto the tray and return to oven.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving with lashings of butter.