The first dislike, is scones that are made with excess bicarbonate of soda to make them rise and rise, and eye-blinkingly rise. They can be very tempting to some people. With so much raising agent in the mix you will get ever so tall and blown scones. It looks like you're getting more for your money. Actually, you could be. You could easily and quickly get indigestion.
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| These shouldn't give you indigestion! Some recipes use self-raising flour. |
Having sunk my teeth a few times into cheese scones sold in tea rooms, which were made with a sweetened scone mix, unless I know how a particular tea shop prepares their scones, I ask. Once I was told that the tea room staff thought people liked their cheese scones to be sweet. In my case, I do not, not even if it is a scone with a melted cheese topping. When I ask for a savoury scone, or, savoury anything, I like it to be savoury and have a savoury taste.
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| Courtesy Daniel Clifford. Cheese scones as they should look. These look really yummy. |
Buying in just one kind of scone mix is a way to cut costs, the mix is used for anything and everything. Mixing in some pickle, or, loads of sliced onions, might go some way to masking the sugar in the mixture for making [almost]savoury scones. (I shall not suggest it). I have a hunch, too much of any additional moisture might deflate the desired outcome.
Today, at one of the errant tea shops, I looked at some flat-ish scones on show beside their cheese scones, all made with the sweetened mix. The new ones had brown/black bits through them. What are these? ............ Those, I was told, were their newest scone creation ....... Haggis.
Here is a picture of some haggis scones that by comparison to what I saw, look somewhat appealing.
NB: When choosing to have afternoon tea (the triple - plate variety, with sandwiches, scones and cream cakes) select your own choice of scones. If you ask how the scones have been made you might get the full recipe and mixing instructions, but, you'll be none the wiser what mix has been used in their preparation.
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12 comments:
Always glad to learn more about scones. I just started learning about them a year ago... and I really like them.
I like scones with butter and raspberry jam, along with a cup of tea.
I'm not that fussed as to how they're made but they certainly do vary in quality and taste! Flighty xx
Plain scones are usually made with a sweetened mix, if, the establishment brings in sacks of the makings. With such a mix, fruit scones of all varieties can be produced successfully, Mr F, so your liking for conserves with a scone would be just fine.
However, Mr F, if you wish to try a cheese scone, the most common savoury one on offer, unless you like sweetness tucked into your taste buds with cheese, I would suggest you make the essential enquiry about their makings. XX
Hi Shimon,
I am interested to hear of your introduction to scones.
You may also be interested to know, there are various ways to pronounce the name. In Scotland the 'o' sounds like the 'o' in pod. In many parts of England, you will hear a refined downward closed sounding 'oh'.
Some cafes make their own mixes and will sweeten for plain and fruit scones, and for their savoury scones will add some salt, pepper, plus the cheese,or, caramelised onions, or as I found, haggis.
There are bakery produced scones which do look very uniform and tend to be heavy.
Whatever, I still avoid scones which look 'blown;' it usually suggests over-use of bicarbonate of soda. I aim for a comfortable day, rather than for a few moments of curious noshing.
ZACL,
I love scones, but I've never tried cheese scones. The photos look so good. Long ago, one blogger in Ireland gave me a scone recipe, and other blogger in Brazil gave me a recipe for fig jam, so I made them. They came out pretty good. But now, I rather go buy them.
This afternoon, I was at a large bakery with many selections, but they didn't have scones. I hope to take a photo and show you the place.
It's good to hear from you Keiko. I look forward to you photo of the bakery's finery.
Some people make scones very well, others do not. My ability is somewhere in-between. The other type of scone, is a 'drop scone,' it is not cooked in the oven, it is cooked on a griddle/girdle.
AHHA!!! So that's why you see such huge ones!!!
Oh nooooo....Haggis?????? Really????xxxxx
I love scones, but am not good at making them.
Oh yes, Snowbird, it is for real, 'habemus' Haggis scones. What is even more disturbing, I can find regular recipes and pictures for them on the internet. *|*
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On the occasions when I try my hand at scone-making, mine look more like those on the wire tray, not exactly like them, you understand. A thick cut scone out of the dough is one way forward. XXX x
There does seem to be a knack to making scones GillyK.
One rule of thumb, add sugar to the mix for sweet ones, do not, for the savoury scones.
Another rule is, block out of your mind the huge great things you have seen, or the bakers' processed scones, when you are making your own. Yours should be unique!
X
The scones in the top picture do look tasty. How disappointing though when you realise they've been cheating.
It's been ages since I enjoyed a delicious cream tea at a tea house. It's such a treat when done properly .
NO haggis scones for me .
Xxx
Hi Mira,
Replying before the line goes down again.
We are not tempted by haggis scones either! A good scone is worth tasting. :) xx
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