Date Scones

First of all - bad me!! Sorry for not posting for a while, what can I say: things have been busy. BUT, I'm back, and when I can get myself access to the internet outside work I'll most definitely be updating!

So, date scones. Last weekend I finally got around to making my mums Christmas Cake (more on that later when it's finished curing and been iced) and had some dates left over. Now, I love scones, all types of scones, and haven't had date scones in AGES. Now, I'm tired of my usual old scone recipe so, I looked at the back of my trusty White Wings Self Raising Flour and, lo, a recipe for scones! These were plain but I figured, what the hey, let's experiment. And of course I didn't bring the packet with me to the Boy's place, so I'll just have to do it all by memory! So, here 'tis:

Date Scones
3 cups self raising flour
1 tbl caster sugar
80g butter
100g chopped dates
1 cup milk
a few drops of milk, extra

Preheat the oven to 220C. Chop the dates and then soak them in the milk. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and butter and rub the mix with your fingertips until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the milk and dates and, using a flat knife blade, fold in until the mixture is just combined. Turn onto a floured bench and knead lightly until the dough just holds together. Flatten the dough with the heels of your hands until it's about 2cm thick, then cut it into approximately 5cm squares. Transfer to a floured baking tray. With a pastry brush, brush a little milk to the tops of the scones. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Absolutely deeee-lish-us fresh from the oven with a dollop of butter melting in the middle. Apparently, according to my mum, these will keep for up to a week in the fridge - they might get a bit firm, but she says a quick zap in the microwave will do wonders.

I have a few other things stored up to blog: beef stir fry, coffee cup cakes, a review of the Pelican Bistro, and eventually the fabled Mum's Christmas Cake, but all in good time!!