Just For Show

My normal scone recipe is fine but I was looking around for something different – you know, just to see how other recipes taste. Apparently the Victorian CWA (Country Women’s Association) Ladies have been making scones by this recipe for the Royal Melbourne Show since 1935. I made half the recipe and ended up with about 25. These were lighter than the one I usually make and we really enjoyed them. And no, we didn't eat them all. Most of them are in the freezer.

Show Sones (from CWA Victoria)
From Super Food Ideas magazine, May 2007

Makes 40
8 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
500ml pouring cream
750ml to 800ml milk
Strawberry jam and double cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 250˚C. Lightly grease 2 baking trays.
2. Sift flour and salt into a very large bowl. Add cream and 750ml (3 cups) of milk. Using a flat-bladed knife, stir to form a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary. Turn onto a lightly-floured surface. Knead gently until dough comes together.
3. Cut dough in half. Press 1 half out to a 2cm thick round. Using a 5.5cm round scone cutter, cut as many scones from dough as possible. Gently press leftover dough pieces together and repeat to make a total of 20 scones. Place on 1 prepared tray, just touching each other. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Bake scones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and well risen. Serve hot or cold with jam and cream.
TIP: when cooked, brush scone tops and bases with melted butter. This removes any flour and helps keep scones nice and soft
NOTE: Scones are best served on the day they are make (preferable piping hot straight from the oven). You can halve this recipe to make 20 scones.