Heat up the griddle for handy, tasty scones

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John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press Like Eaton�s Welsh scones (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press Griddle scones (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

LAST week Nancy Morris wrote in asking for a recipe for the pan-cooked scones that used to be sold at Eaton's and that her mother made at home. It turns out that Barbara Gmitrowski had written in about two years ago for this recipe and Recipe Swap writer Darlene Henderson had published a perennial Free Press favourite. Barbara, who tried it out and declared it very close to her memories of the Eaton's version, kindly alerted me to that recipe, and I'm publishing it again. I'm also offering a recipe for griddle scones, which, like Welsh scones, are made in a pan. (These could be related to a Scottish version called a girdle scone.)

Both recipes are handy when you're camping or when your oven is busy doing something else, and give a nice crisp crust. The Welsh scones are sweet and more like fancy tea scones, while the griddle scones are more of an all-purpose biscuit, good for breakfast or serving with soups and stews.

This week Diane Mayes is looking for recipes for tomato-based soups and a good Greek salad. And my daughter, Sophie, would love a recipe for wafer pie like Sal's makes. If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you'd like to share, send an email to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number.

Like Eaton's Welsh scones

500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose flour

125 ml (1/2 cup) white sugar

Pinch salt

10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder

125 ml (1/2 cup) currants

125 ml (1/2 cup) butter

1 egg, beaten

125 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk

5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add currants. Cut in butter. Mix together egg, milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and work into a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and pat into 1-2 cm (1/2-3/4 in) thickness. Cut into 5-cm (2-inch) rounds. Preheat electric frying pan to 160 C (325 F). Add scones to heated, ungreased pan. Fry about 6-8 minutes each side until they are nicely browned. Yield about one dozen.

Tester's notes: These rich little currant-studded scones have a nice texture, but I agree with Darlene's original notes that they are a bit sweet. I don't have an electric frying pan, so I used a well-seasoned cast-iron pan on low-medium heat and watched very carefully.

Griddle scones

500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose flour

5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda

5 ml (1 tsp) cream of tartar

3 ml (3/4 tsp) salt

175 ml (3/4 cup) buttermilk, shaken

60 ml (1/4 cup) butter, melted

Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt into a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and butter in a small bowl, then add to dry ingredients and stir just until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half and gently knead each half 3-4 times. Pat into two 15-cm (6-inch) rounds, and then cut each round into 4 wedges.

Heat heavy pan over low heat. Lightly dust both sides of scones with flour, shaking off excess, and cook scones over low heat, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and cook scones until puffed and undersides are golden brown, about 5 more minutes. Turn over and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 7-8 minutes. (Watch very carefully and adjust heat if necessary.)

Tester's notes: Nice and rich, but if the Welsh scones were too sweet, these could perhaps use just a smidge of sugar. I found I had to watch really carefully and keep the heat very low to get the scones to bake through without over-browning.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 10, 2012 D4