With the right recipe, scones are a simple yet special treat to create over winter. Macadamias add a lovely nutty sweetness to the traditional scone. For other variations try adding half a cup of juicy sultanas or a teaspoon of mixed spice to the mixture when you add the finely chopped macadamias.
Macadamia scones
½ cup macadamias
1 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
80g cold butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup milk, plus 1 tablespoon to brush scones
¼ cup macadamias, finely chopped (extra)
Blackberries and cream
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 punnet fresh blackberries
200ml thickened cream or clotted cream, whipped
Method
To make the scones, preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place macadamias into the bowl of a food processor and add combined flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse until the macadamias are almost finely chopped and the mixture resembles a coarse flour. Do not over-process or the mixture will stick together; the nuts do not need to be completely ground.
Place the mixture into a large bowl, add butter cubes and, using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Add the milk and the extra finely chopped macadamias and gently combine to form a ball. (You could add sultanas or spices at this stage if desired).
Gather the dough and knead gently to make a smooth round. Pat the round down to a disc about 2-4 cm thick. Use a scone cutter to cut scone shapes. Reroll remaining dough and repeat until all the dough is used and you have 8-10 scones.
Place the scones on the prepared tray and brush with a little of the extra milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the scones are puffed and golden. Enjoy!
