Wendy's Winning Scone Recipe

When I was 14 years of age, a scone baking competition was held in Bunbury for entrants up to 17 years old and was put on by kleenheat gas. As I had been using my own scone recipe for years by this time, my mum suggested that I enter it. A lot of girs from my high school also entered and we had just a couple of weeks to practice making our scone recipes before it began. The competition went over 1 week and for the first 3 days they had heats of 6 entrants in each heat. I think that I was in about the 3 heat of the first day and I easily won my heat. Kleenheat in conjunction withSnowflake flour, gave us a recipe to follow and it was amazing how many girls couldn't even do that. One girl even tried to sift the butter through the sifter with the flour. On the thursday all the winners from the heats then had to compete with the others to bring it down to a final 6 contestants. I won my heat again and went on to win the competition. I can remember presenting my winning scones to the mayor and his wife and my prize was a transistor radio and something else, but I cannot remember what. In 1963 this was a big thing to win but now I am sure it wouldn't attract many entrants with such a prize. This is my winning scone recipe and I never vary from it as they always turn out beautifully.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups SR flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons whipping cream
milk - enough to make 1 cup with egg, cream and milk combined

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to very hot. I usually set my oven at around 220 and if needed, reduce to 200 after the first 5 minutes in the oven.
Sift flour and salt together into large basin or bowl. Mix in sugar and make a well in the centre. Lightly beat egg in a large cup or mug with a fork. Add the cream and blend through the egg. This will start to thicken up quite a bit. Then add enough milk to fill to top of cup or mug. Pour into well of flour and with a large fork, mix through slightly. Then mix through with your hands, mixing it as quickly as you can. Turn out onto floured surface and quickly knead through gently until it comes away from the surface easily. Press out with your hands until it is approx 1 inch thickness. Use a sharp knife and cut out 12 squares of even size. Place on a oven tray which you have sprinkled a little flour on, then into the oven and bake for approx 12 - 15 minutes. When they have risen up and are a nice golden brown on the top they should be ready. Remove from oven and place on a clean cotton (not towelling) teatowel and roll up for several minutes or until you wish to use them. The secret of good scones is to get them from the start of making them, into the oven as soon as possible. Never use a rolling pin as the more you press on the dough, the tougher it will become. This is also why I always use a knife to cut out my scones as pressing down with a scone cutter will also help to toughen them.