VINTAGE KITCHEN – SCONES

Scones. I do love a delicious scone in the morning (I don’t tend to have them for tea.) I so wish I could venture out and post about lovely vintage scenes around Los Angeles. Alas, opportunities are slim. However, my kitchen is wide open, so I thought I’d focus a bit more on cooking for awhile. Of course, my waist won’t appreciate my efforts, but my tummy will! I broke open my handy pamphlet that came with General Electric refrigerators, The Silent Hostess Treasure Book. Published in 1932, it is the only vintage recipe book I have that contain a scone recipe.

SCONES

Do you pronounce scone as in ‘tone’, or do you pronounce it scone as in ‘gone’. I am in the former category, as an American. I understand that even in England, it depends on where you were raised. However you pronounce it, they are delicious.

This recipe calls for a plain scone. I’m used to having a bit of blueberry in my scones, but I stuck with the recipe for this one. I also needed a bit more sugar in mine. Two teeny teaspoons of sugar didn’t cut it for me. I also like round scones. The original recipe called for triangles, which you absolutely have the option to do.

The original recipe tells you your options for preparing in advance and keeping in your brand new, sparkling General Electric refrigerator! However, I baked them as soon as I made them.  With vintage recipes, I find you often need to incorporate your own touches into the recipe, as they are not always clear. Also, we’ve found modern ways of treating our ingredients, such as chilling, that improve quality of the end product a great deal.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder (use aluminum-free if you can)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar (use 4, as I did, plus a little more for sprinkling on the top)
• 1/4 cup butter (use cold, unsalted butter)
• 1 egg (cold)
• 1/2 cup milk (cold)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter (I used a pastry blender, but you can use two knives or your hands if you like.) Add the well beaten egg (reserving a small amount of unbeaten white) and milk. Roll out and cut in triangles (or flatten with hands and cut with a juice glass, like me.) Brush with the remaining egg whites, sprinkle with sugar and place in a greased pan.

Bake in a hot oven for twelve to fifteen minutes. Makes 10-12 scones.

They are delicious with jam, honey, or a little butter.  I enjoyed them with homemade fig honey jam my friends gifted me with.  Fresh and steaming from the oven, it is lovely to have a bit of a vintage kitchen come to life in the present.

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THE RECIPE (PRINTABLE)

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Vintage Kitchen - Scones

A delicious vintage recipe, modified from the book The Silent Hostess Treasure Book, written in 1932.

Course Breakfast

Servings 10 each

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder aluminum free, if possible
• ½ tsp salt
• 2-4 tsp sugar I used four, plus extra for sprinkling
• ¼ cup butter I used cold, unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk cold

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

3. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, two knives, or use your fingers to break in to tiny bits.

4. Crack an egg into a bowl and reserve a bit of the egg white. Beat the egg well with a fork and add to the flour mixture.

5. Add the milk.

6. Roll out or flatten into a disk with your hands. Cut into triangles or circles, as you prefer. Add to greased pan or one covered with a baking mat.

7. Brush with egg white and dust granulated sugar on the tops.

8. Bake in hot oven for twelve to fifteen minutes.

9. Enjoy!