masterchef scones

I usually get up at around 8 AM on a Sunday so I can do everything before going to Thangstahh's house for tutor, but I set my mobile to go off at 0615 before I went to sleep last night to make scones :) Call me crazy but scones are best straight from the oven on the day baked so I didn't want to make last night.

The recipe I used came from a reality show Masterchef Australia. At first I didn't watch the show, because I thought it would be like those typical reality shows where they just show people bitching about each other and so on. Unlike those shows, Masterchef shows not only the competition in the hospitality industry but also the tears of true disappointment when one is eliminated. Too bad I only started seriously watching it a few weeks ago T^T totally missed out...

I really like this recipe :) I didn't have to use the standard 'rubbing in' method which I hate but using the muffin technique of mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. For me, the cream and the buttermilk gave the scone richness and the you could really taste the cream in it after baking. The dash of vanilla essence smelt nice in it too. This is also probably the only thing I can reproduce from Masterchef.
For some strange reason, my aunty said the dried apricots were sour...weird.

***
masterchef scones
adapted from Gary Mehigan's date and lemon scones
later edited by me
oven:
200 degrees Celsius
fan forced

ingredients:
makes 12

• 3 cups self raising flour, sifted
• 3 Tb caster sugar
  + extra for sprinkling
• 1 cup dried fruit, roughly chopped
  (I used 3/4 cup apricots and 1/4 cup sultanas)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 150 mL milk
  + 25 mL if dough is dry
• 150 mL cream
  (I used 35% milk fat cream)
• 1 egg

method:
1. Combine sifted flour, caster sugar and dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Make a 'well' in the centre.

2. Whisk milk, cream and egg until all combined.

3. Pour the milk mixture into the well.

4. Stir gently to form a soft dough. Add remaining milk if necessary.

5. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead gently until dough comes together. Roll out dough to 2 cm thick.

6. Cut dough using a floured round cutter. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper flat side up. Repeat with remaining dough.

7. Brush scone tops with milk and sprinkle caster sugar on top.

8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until scone is golden and well risen.

A sweet fruity scone to start the morning with a glass of frothy milk. Getting up early really paid off. Wrapped 2 pieces in foil and gave it to my tutor :) She says it's the best scone ever! :D