The Irish have been making these scones for many years. With pure, natural ingredients, they are very easy to make. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
4 cups self-rising white flour (if using regular white flour, add 2 tsp. baking powder)
3 large eggs
1 cup raisins, sultanas, or a mixture of both
1/4 cup candied or mixed peel (orange, lemon)
Few drops natural vanilla essence
Milk to form soft dough
About 6 tbsp. cream
Method
Place the flour into a fairly large bowl. Add a pinch of salt (optional). Lift the flour up with both hands and allow it to drop slowly through the fingers back into the bowl. Repeat this a few times so that each grain of flour is exposed to the air.
Mix in the fruit and candied peel, while at the same time allowing the mixture to be exposed to the air.
Beat the eggs together with a whisk or a fork and add the vanilla essence and the cream. Pour this liquid a little at a time into the flour, mixing well. You may need to add a little extra milk to get a soft, pliable dough. When you lift it on a spoon, it should drop off easily.
Now sprinkle some flour on a working surface and knead the dough until smooth and silky. Flatten the dough a little
Next, with a rolling pin (I use an empty wine bottle), roll the dough out to about 1 1/2 inches in depth and roughly 12 inches long and 8 inches wide.
Slice the dough into 24 square scones. First, slice it down the center lengthwise, and then crosswise, leaving four equal quarters. Two more slices lengthwise and four more crosswise will leave 24 scones.
Next paint a light covering of milk over the 24 scones and sprinkle the tops with brown cane sugar if available. If not, any brown sugar will suffice.
Place scones on a floured baking sheet in four rows of six scones and place in an oven that has been heated to 350 degrees F. They take 20 to 25 minutes to bake nicely. About 23 minutes is sufficient cooking time to fully cook and add a nice golden color to the scones.
You will know they are cooked when they no longer stick to the baking sheet when you slip a knife underneath or if they sound hollow when you tap them with your finger. If you find the crust a little too hard, then reduce the oven heat slightly the next time.
Remove from the oven and allow the scones to cool on a wire rack. Serve the scones sliced in half and spread with butter.
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