Recipe: Rich Tea Scones

Rich Tea Scones (English)

To make about 12 scones

1 T butter, softened

2-½ C self-rising flour

1 T sugar

½ t salt

3 T lard, cut into ¼-inch bits and thoroughly chilled

1 egg

½ C milk

Preheat the oven to 400° . Using a pastry brush, coat a large baking sheet with the softened butter and set it aside.

In a large chilled mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and lard. With your fingertips, rub the flour and fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal. Beat the egg with a whisk or fork until it froths and set 1 T of it aside in a small dish. Beat the milk into the remainder of the egg and pour over the flour mixture. With your hands or a large spoon toss together until the dough can be gathered into a compact ball. Dust lightly with flour and on a lightly floured surface roll the dough out into a ¼-inch thick circle. With a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut the dough into 2-inch rounds. Reroll and cut the scraps into similar rounds. Place the rounds about 1-inch apart on the baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with the reserved T of beaten egg. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until light brown. Serve at once on a heated platter.