For me there’s nothing better than a freshly baked scone. Whether it’s sweet and slathered in clotted cream and the very best jam or simply savoury I will go out my way to bake homemade scones. Whilst I absolutely LOVE sweet scones, I do also really enjoy a good Cheddar cheese scone. There’s something about a piping hot, freshly baked scone straight from the oven and slathered in lots of salted butter that I adore. But like most of my recipes, I like to put my own twist and take on the classic. My scone recipe is packed full of two cheeses, sage leaves and salty cured prosciutto for a little twist. The recipe combines my love of traditional British food and Italian cuisine – two of my favourites.
When I first baked these scones I wasn’t entirely sure how they would go down with my family. I knew I would love the flavours because I’m a big fan of cheese scones or any savoury scones and the recipe combines some of my favourite baking ingredients. But I was completely shocked by my sister (who is the hardest to please!) who enjoyed the flavour and asked me to bake another batch! This time I decided to swap the prosciutto for cooked smoked pancetta. It was just as amazingly tasty as the original scone made with prosciutto.
These are simply, the cheesiest, tastiest, crumbliest, butteriest and delicious savoury scones I have ever eaten.
I just know I’m going to be baking more and more batches of these scones during the Autumn to serve alongside many delicious bowls of soup. They would also make a brilliant breakfast recipe for a lazy Sunday morning!
(Makes 8)
Ingredients:
225g self-raising flour, sifted
50g cold unsalted butter, cubed
50g Cheddar
90g prosciutto or cooked pancetta, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 large free-range egg
100ml buttermilk
Topping:
1-2 tbsp buttermilk or milk
25g parmesan
25g Cheddar
Method:
1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the flour and cold butter. Mix on low speed for a few minutes or until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs – you can also do this by hand without using a mixer.
2. Then add the Cheddar, proscuitto (or bacon) and finely chopped sage. Mix through, then add the egg and buttermilk, using a butter knife, mix through until you have a soft dough – be careful not to overwork the dough at this point!
3. Line a large baking tray with non-stick paper. Tip the scone dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Spread out into a rectangle about 3cm in depth. Cut into 8 squares and then place on the baking tray. Brush the tops with the buttermilk, then sprinkle over the extra grated Cheddar and Parmesan.
4. Bake the scones at 220°C / 200°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6 for 12-14 minutes or until golden and slightly risen. Leave to cool on tray for a few minutes.
5. Serve the scones warm and toasted with butter, they can also be served at room temperature. Scones will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!