Scones (Irish Soda Style)

Ingredients

• 3 c (420 grams) all-purpose flour (or a mixture of whole wheat flour and white all purpose flour)
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1 1/2 c (360 ml) buttermilk (to make buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk, let stand 5-10 minutes)

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using one hand, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft, moist dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 7 - 8 inch (18 - 23 cm) round that is about 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick. Cut this circle into 6 triangular sections. Place the scones on your prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk and then dust with a little extra flour. This gives the baked scones a wonderful floury brown crust.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean. Test by tapping the bottom of a scone - it should sound hollow. Remove from oven. These scones are best served warm from the oven with a little butter and jam.