Cooking with Barbara
English scones

Several times I have printed recipes from my friends in England. I have visited northern England many times; my friend Joyce Bradley always makes some scones for me and this is her recipe.

She once sang in London in many Broadway shows and later directed plays in Leeds. She lives in a small town called, Colne, pronounced "cone." She once asked me to come over and play "Miss Daisy" in the play, "Driving Miss Daisy," but I was still teaching and couldn't leave. The show never got off the ground - no one with a southern accent even though I sent her tapes of some of the script. She is a really talented lady and sings with well known choirs all over England even though she is in her eighties.

Her recipe is wonderful; it's like a glorified biscuit. If you've visited England or read English books, especially mysteries which take place in England (my favorite reading.) you know cookies are called "biscuits" in England.

The English do not ice their scones but serve with clotted or double cream and jam. I took some to my art class and made cream with softened cream cheese folded into whipping cream.

Also they use currants or raisins in the scones. I've used dried cranberries, cherries or any dried fruit. I had scones in a restaurant in Hayesville in which they used fresh blueberries and iced them and they were really good.
English Scones
1-1/2 cup plain flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)

1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter,
margarine or 4 tsp.
shortening
1/4 cup milk
1 egg

Sift first 5 ingredients together. Cut in butter or shortening. Add 1 cup raisins, currants or any dried fruit. Add milk and egg.

You can roll this dough out and cut with a biscuit cutter or drop by large spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400º for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly brown.

If iced, mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar with a few teaspoons of milk to a thin consistency and spread on slightly cooled scones. This icing will harden.