Around the World in 80 Foods: Scottish Mrs. McNab's Scones (actually...Mrs. McAllister's...read on to see why!)
(Today, we have a guest-writer...my good friend and fabled archaeologist whose adventures are recorded in the epic saga...The Kurgan's Secret...Cora Regal McLaren! Take it away Regal!)
After enjoying a long summer participating in an archaeological dig on the Isle of Skye off Scotland's northwest coast, one of the many delectable recipes I (Regal McLaren) stumbled across, was a tender, plump Scottish scone bursting with FLAVOR! Now, rumor has it that this recipe was first procured by the famous Bernard Clayton in his Complete Book of Breads, from the also famous Mrs. McNab; but the gray haired little widow who rented out her cozy cottage to me and my digging crew, and with whom we all became lasting friends, the great MRS. MCALLISTER, insists that hers (shortly to follow below) is the original and undisputed BEST version of this recipe...straight from the warm hearth of her country kitchen in Taigh a'Chlarsaigh! Enjoy!
Mrs. McAllister says you will need:
2 cu. flour (1 cup white or all-purpose flour, and 1 cup whole wheat flour) / 2 bollar hveiti
1 tsp. each salt and baking soda/ 1 tsk. salt og 1 tsk. matarsódi
2 tsp. cream of tartar/ 2 tsk. lyftiduft
3 Tbsp. butter/ 3 matarskeiðar smjör
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk/ hálf bolli saurmjólk
4-5 packages (about 1/2-3/4 cups) dried fruit mix, which includes:
cranberries, blueberries, golden raisins, dark raisins and cherries/ 3 fjórði bolli þurkkað bláber, rúsínur, kirsuber og trönber
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar/ 1 matarskeið púðursykur
Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Over low heat, soften your butter but do not melt, and cut into your dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs or small peas. Separately combine the egg and buttermilk or sour milk and stir into the dry ingredients until well combined. Lastly add the dry fruit. Grease a large baking sheet. Next, roll your dough into a rough ball (you may need to add a little more flour and/or coat your hands with flour) and divide into 4 balls. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand and roll out into a circle approximately 6 inches in diameter (maybe a little more) and approximately 1/2 inch thick. Place the four disks on the baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. When tapped lightly with your hand, the bottoms of your scones should have a nice hollow sound as well. Cut into pie shapes and serve hot with extra butter, preferably fresh from Mrs. McAllister's pet cow, but if you are not yet acquaintance of hers, I would recommend rolled Amish butter! Enjoy!
Setjið hveiti, salt, matarsódi og púðursykur (og blandið) saman í skál. Blandið smjör, egg og saurmjólk saman, þá notið gafal að blanda öllu saman. Búið til 4 diska (16 sentímetrar þvérmál) og bakið í opn. 190 gráður Njótið þess!
