Scones | Rebecca
Those dripping crumpets, I can see them now. Tiny crisp wedges of toast, and piping hot, floury scones. Sandwiches of unknown nature, mysteriously flavoured and quite delectable, and that very special gingerbread.
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier
I have faint memories of picking Rebecca up from the school library shelves when I was in high school - I was quite an ambitious reader at the time, trying to work my way through such classics as Moby Dick (inspired by part from my love of Gilmore Girls I'm pretty sure, I would write down whatever book it was that Rory happened to be reading in an episode). I do faintly remember enjoying Rebecca, but if someone had asked me what the plot of it was in years since then I would have struggled to name anything outside of - dead wife, big house...mean lady? Like many I'm sure, I picked up the book again with the recent release of the Netflix trailer of the adaptation of the story.
I'd forgotten, I think, just how haunting the tale was. The words seem to bring about any memory of feeling like an outsider, and alone - keeping the reader in a state an anxiety almost the entire way through. I finished it only recently, fighting sleep and hurriedly devouring the last few pages before closing them - no one I know has read it recently, but I have the overpowering urge and need to discuss it with someone, to admire the characters and make noises about the wicked Mrs Danvers.
I've made crumpets already, and ginger bread. I haven't however yet tried my hand at scones. Being Australian, the classic British scone is something I've grown up with. A common delicacy at most school bake sales or afternoons at Nanna's, usually served with jam and cream. The recipe is quite simple - the biggest mistake will leave you with flat scones, but honestly, cover them with butter and jam and it will still be incredible tasty anyway.
Scones
Makes approx. 10 - 12
Ingredients
400g self raising flour
100g butter
100g raw caster sugar
1tsp baking powder
185ml milk
1tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp milk
Salt
Preheat oven at 220C. Combine the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a owl. Add in the butter and rub in with your finger tips until it resembles wet sand. Add in the raw caster sugar.
Pour the milk over the top of the butter and flour mixture, combining until it comes together into a ball of dough - try not to knead it too much during this time otherwise they will not rise properly.
You can split the dough into two parts or keep it as one for this next stage. Press the dough down onto a lightly floured surface, using your hand to press it down till it is only around 3cm thick.
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper. Press a scone cutter, or the rim of a glass (Whatever you're using to cut your cones out) into flour and press down hard into the dough, pulling out the prepared scone onto the baking tray. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, bringing the scraps together until you run out of dough.
Combine the 1 tbsp milk and maple syrup, using a pastry brush glaze the tops of the raw scones with the mixture before placing them into the oven. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the tops are golden. Enjoy hot, with butter and jam and of, course, tea!