Maple scones and trash and treasure

Last weekend we went to the Coburg Trash and Treasure Market.  These sorts of markets are known as car boot sales in the UK.  People bring all sorts of curious old (and not so old) stuff to sell.  An old oven, feijoas, underwear, kitchenware, religious pictures, rotary phones.  We made a few purchases: old magazines for me, talking books for E, a toy shopping trolley for Sylvia, a bracelet for dolly, a little coffee table for us all and a new serving plate for me.  You can see the plate above.  It is the sort of pretty plate on which ladies might serve scones.

As we walked around the stalls, Sylvia wanted to know when we were going to go to the market and have little pancakes.  (A reasonable question after enjoying poffertjes on our last two market trips.)  On the way home, I went to the bakery but didn't have enough cash to buy much, so I told E that I would make scones.  Making scones is tricky with our current routines.  Scones are for afternoon tea.  However Sylvia sleeps in the afternoon.  I have to either make them straight after lunch or late in the afternoon if Sylvia is to help.  She loves to help.  So we made them just before dinner.

I chose the maple syrup scones that I made from Rose Bakery's Breakfast Lunch and Tea cookbook.  They looked interesting with the addition of maple syrup and oats.  I hadn't noticed just how much butter they had until we started baking.

Sylvia had a lovely time helping.  She even wore her apron.  Dolly sat beside us in her new shopping trolley.  Sylvia was delighted to find that when she pressed a scone cutter into the dough she made a scone.  She also loves arranging scones on the tray.  I always put them in the centre and crowd them around that one but Sylvia likes to line the scones around the edge of the tray.  You may notice in the picture below that I had to rearrange them my way.

Rose Carrarini, the author of the cookbook, says this is her favourite scone recipe.  We weren't over the moon about them.  I suspect that it didn't help that they had cooled considerably by the time we ate them after dinner.  The large amount of butter in the recipe made them quite solid and short - more biscuit than scone texture.  I prefer scones to be light and fluffy, made with just a wee bit of butter.  They seemed more American than Australian or British, which might be why Deb loved them and C didn't.
 

I was running out of plain flour and baking powder so I left them out and used self raising flour instead.  I tried a scone with promite which I enjoyed but they were best with some syrupy stewed plums.  The scones were on the dry side and were much improved with some juicy barely sweet fruit.  E just had syrup because he is not such a fan of fruit.  I served them on my new plate (see top pic). A perfect accompaniment to the first episode of the new television series Downton Abbey.

I probably wont make these scones again.  I have no doubt however that I will try more scones from this lovely cookbook.  And I am definitely watching episode two of the sumptuous period costume drama.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Advice for Gluten Free beginners and kids
This time two years ago: Butterscotch and Banner Surprises
This time three years ago: Shamburgers
This time four years ago: Kraut Rock Cupcakes

Maple syrup and oat scones
Adapted from Rose Bakery's Breakfast Lunch and Tea
Makes about 12-15 scones

1 and 3/4 cups self raising white flour
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
160g unsalted butter
4 tbsp maple syrup
about 4 tbsp milk or buttermilk
1 egg beaten or 1 tbsp milk

Mix flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Rub in butter with fingertips.  Mix in maple syrup and milk until the dough comes together into a ball - add a little extra milk if dry and a little extra flour if sticky.  Lightly knead on a floured board.  Roll out to about 1-2cm thick.  Cut into rounds with a scone cutter or the floured rim of a glass (about 5cm diameter).  Arrange on a lightly greased tray with scones almost touching.  Glaze with a beaten egg or milk (I use milk).  Bake at 200 C for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  I think these are best eaten warm.

On the Stereo:
The Wonderful World of Nursery Rhymes: Vera Lynn and Kenneth McKellar.