Competition: Hirsch’s is ready to spoil a novice baker

Hirsch’s is hosting a special competition to celebrate all ‘lockdown bakers’.

To enter the competition, send in a photo of you and your kids whipping up a batch of scones with the addition of a delicious-looking topping and you could win a R500 Hirsch’s voucher and a digital copy of Luci Hirsch’s cookbook, Mum’s on the Run.

Four-in-one scones

Makes about 10 to 12 medium-sized scones

Ingredients

240g cake flour (500 ml)

20ml baking powder

60g butter or margarine, cut into small pieces (60 ml)

30ml castor sugar

125ml milk, yoghurt, maas or buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

To serve: 125 ml whipped cream, and about 120ml strawberry jam

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan/ Gas mark 7.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together.
3. Using a food processor is excellent for the making of pastry and scones. Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl of the food processor, which has been fitted with the double-knife stainless steel blade.
4. Add butter or margarine, and pulse machine to rub in.
5. Add in the sugar. Pulse again.
6. Blend the milk, yoghurt, maas or buttermilk and the egg together; and, with the machine running, pour through the feeder tube.
7. The dough will come together in a ball. Stop the machine immediately and place dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
8. Pat out to 2cm thick. (Do not roll out with a rolling pin– this will prevent scones from rising; also, light handling is required.)
9. Cut out shapes with a scone cutter dipped in cake flour.
10. Place onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Brush scone tops with a little milk or beaten egg, if desired.
11. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until well-risen and golden brown in colour.
12. Split open when cooled, and place a spoon of whipped cream on each scone, topped with about 5ml of strawberry, raspberry or apricot jam.
13. Serve with butter, jam and grated cheese, as an alternative to the cream.

Variations:

• Fruit Scones: Add 50ml currants, raisins or sultanas to the rubbed-in mixture, before adding the liquid in Step 5.
• Cheese Scones: Omit sugar. Add 40g grated strong cheddar cheese (100 ml), 5 to 10 ml dry mustard powder, and 1ml ground cayenne pepper to the flour mixture, before adding the liquid in Step 5.
• Savoury Scones: Omit sugar. Add 3 to 4 chopped spring onions and 30g grated strong cheddar cheese (75 ml) to the flour mixture, before adding the liquid in Step 5. When cool, split in half and sandwich together with a mild garlic or garlic and herb butter.

You can share your photo on the Fourways Review Facebook page or email the editor at laurap@caxton.co.za by 18 May 2020.