Ingredients
240 g plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
75 g butter, cubed
2 tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted
30 g roquefort or other strong creamy blue cheese, crumbled, plus more for sprinkling
1 egg, beaten
90 ml buttermilk or whole milk, plus more for brushing
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C. Mix the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like flaky breadcrumbs. Add the walnuts and blue cheese. Bit by bit, stir in the egg, then buttermilk or milk until you have a firm dough – don’t overwork it, just bring it together.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat the dough out to about 2.5cm thick and give it one or two rolls with a rolling pin – don’t press down or you’ll squash out the air. Don’t worry if it breaks up a little, just stick it back together.
- Cut out scones using a 5-6cm cutter. Press straight downwards as quickly as you can and don’t twist the cutter – twisting will stick the edges of the dough together and it won’t rise as well.
- Lift the scones onto a non-stick baking sheet and brush the tops with buttermilk or milk, then sprinkle a little roquefort on each. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the scones rise and are cooked through. Serve warm, with butter.
