Victoria Scones

 

Victoria Scones.  I wanted to share this lovely traditional scone recipe with you this morning.  It is a be-ro scone recipe coming from a book that was sent to me from a friend.

It is a lovely scones recipe that was originally published in the 1928 Be-Ro recipe book, so, it is a very old recipe. In this newer version of the book it has been updated to use modern methods and ingredients.  

 

 

The original recipe used lard I believe.  Not many people like to bake with lard these days.  Kind of unfortunate that.

I use lard and butter combined in my pastry and it makes the flakiest most delicious pastry.  I do understand people not wanting to use it however, especially if you are a vegetarian.

 

As I said the recipe has been adapted to add North American measurements and was taken from this Be-Ro baking book.  A lovely gift from a very kind friend. 

People have been so good to me over these past few months. I am overwhelmed by their many kindnesses and am not sure I entirely deserve them. Thank you so much Karen. It was so very thoughtful of you to send me this and I appreciate it so very much!

 

I had a version of this same little cookbook that I had picked up at the local grocery store one time in the UK.  It was not as fancy or as filled with lovely recipes as this 41st edition.  

If you are in the UK, you can buy your own copy here.  Unfortunately they are unable to ship them outside of the country. Sorry about that! 

 

Be-Ro is a brand of flour produced in the UK.  It is a North Eastern British tradition.

Thomas Bell founded a wholesale grocery firm near the Tyne quays and railway station in Newcastle in the 1880s. Among his top-selling brands were 'Bells Royal' baking powder and a self raising flour. 

Following the death of Edward VII, it became illegal to use the Royal name. As a result, Bell decided to take the first couple of letters from the each of the two words of the brand name and turn them into the more catchy sounding 'Be-Ro'. 

 

The rest is history. It is one of the UK's most beloved flours, and is the best known flour in the North.

I do so love foods with history and I love to study the history of foods, and how they came into being.

 

Speaking of history, it would be remiss of me not to talk about this lovely set of china that was my mother's and is now my sisters.  I do not know the name of the pattern, but it is Wedgewood.

My mother collected it from laundry soap over a matter of many months.  She had managed to collect a set large enough for six people. Six cups and saucers, six side plates, and six dinner plates. 

It is painted with lovely pink rose buds, with beautiful sage colored leaves. Each piece is trimmed with gold.  I find it so astonishing that these were given away in laundry soap.

 

Back in the day housewives were able to collect many things like this by purchasing certain brands of washing soaps.  Glasses, dishes, etc.  each piece buried within the powder in the box, which made a perfect protection for it, keeping it safe from breakage I assume.

They don't do anything like that these days. I expect it is all down to health and safety, for fear that someone might cut themselves, etc. and sue the company I suppose.

 

In any case it is a lovely set which was brought out for all our holiday dinners.  It is not fine china, but it was fine china to us and very special. My sister is a very lucky woman to have these.

That is also my mother's silver plate that you see here.  That also was used very sparingly, and was reserved for very special occasions.  The rest of the year it lived in a special wooden box, designed to keep it from tarnish.

 

My sister keeps it in the sideboard.  I had thought she said she was going to use it for every day because we should use the things we love, but alas, it doesn't.  I am afraid we both have inherited my mother's fear of ruining things that are special.

Heirlooms are kept for special occasions and often are not used even then. Meant to be passed down. My sister's daughters will be very lucky girls to get these things one day.

 

But back to the scones.  I thought this would be a beautiful recipe to end the month of March on.  I fully intend, once I get into my own place to make myself a proper tea every now and then.

Just because you live by yourself, and there is a Pandemic on, that doesn't mean you cannot treat yourself to something special, and these scones are indeed very special.  "Fit for a Queen."

 

Who can resist something which is considered to be such!  Not I!  I think you are going to fall in love with these very easy to make and simple scones.

They are light and fluffy, with a beautiful interior crumb. Bake into four large rounds, they are meant to be pulled apart, split and buttered.

 

Each quarter of each scone is tarted up with a bit of glace cherry.  But don't worry if you can't find those.  Some places only have them around Christmas time.

You can use  maraschino cherries in their place.  Whichever you do decide to use make sure you wash them and dry them very well before using them.  

You can even leave them off altogether if you wish, but they won't be quite as pretty. You could sprinkle the tops with some coarse sanding sugar which would also be very pretty.

They do use self-rising flour. A lot of  British Bakes do, but don't worry. I have told you in the recipe notes how to make your own. Its a very simple and easy thing to do.

In any case, just look at their beautiful texture.  So, so, so nice. Perfect for quaffing down with a nice hot cuppa, don't you think?  Indubitably.

As Queen Victoria might have said . . .  "We are most pleased with the results."

Victoria Scones

Yield: makes 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Richer, dainty, sweet and fit for a Queen. Adapted from the Be-Ro 41st edition cookbook for home baked recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (225g) self-rising flour (see note)
• pinch salt
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup/50g) butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar (in UK caster sugar)
• 1 large free range egg
• 3 1/2 fluid ounces (100ml) whole milk
• 4 glace cherries, quartered

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with some baking paper. Alternately, grease the pan.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.  Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture using the tips of your fingers, using a snapping motion. The mixture should resemble fine dry bread crumbs when done.
3. Stir in the sugar.
4. Beat the egg and milk together.  Add to the flour mixture (reserve a bit to brush on top of the scones) and stir to make a soft dough. 
5. Tip out onto a lightly floured board. Knead lightly a few times and then divide into four.
6. Shape each quarter into a round about 1/2 inch in thickness. Place onto the baking tray leaving plenty of space in between each. 
7. Using a sharp knife make a cut across the top of each to mark the into quarters. Don't cut down all the way through, just score it.
8. Brush some of the reserved egg/milk mixture over the top of each.
9. Wash your cherries and dry.  Cut each into quarters and then press a piece of cherry into each quarter on the scones.
10. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
11. Scoop onto a wire rack to cool.
12. Serve with butter if desired, or jam and cream.  Enjoy!

Notes:

TO MAKE YOUR OWN SELF RAISING FLOUR - for each cup of flour add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.

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