Breads

Ranging from simple scones and teabreads to the more hearty yeast loaves and rolls, you’ll find breadmaking surprisingly easy if you use the right ingredients and follow a few basic rules.

How to cook better soda scones and Scotch pancakes (dropped scones)

These are cooked over direct heat, first on one side, then on the other. An old-fashioned iron girdle or heavy iron frying pan is used – a flat base for cooking them is essential.

• The pan should be gently and thoroughly heated before cooking the scones. Put pan on to heat first thing.
• Knowing when the temperature is right is part of the skill of making perfect scones. Hold your hand about 1 inch (2.5cm) above the pan surface and you should feel the heat. For soda scones the heat is more gentle than for Scotch pancakes, which are cooked more quickly.
• For soda scones sprinkle the pan with flour. If flour immediately browns, the heat is too high. Brush off the flour and lower the heat. Remove the pan and allow it to cool a little, then test again.
• For Scotch pancakes, sprinkle a little water on the hot surface and if it skips about in small balls before evaporating the heat is right. Then grease the pan.
• To grease the pan take a piece of absorbent kitchen paper, twist it into a mushroom shape and dip the larger end in a saucer of oil. Grease pan between each batch. Never use butter for greasing as it easily bums.
• Don’t overcrowd cooking surface – allow room for turning the scones. Use a palette knife to lift up scones to have a look – they should be golden when cooked. When colour is right, use palette knife to turn them over. A fish slice will do at a pinch.
• Drop batter from a tablespoon or dessertspoon according to size of scone required. Always drop batter from the tip of the spoon to make perfect round Scotch pancakes.