From the Kitchen :: The Victoria Room Scones

Tonight I am going to a friend's house for a coffee and cake night. There will be many delectable treats on the menu.. yummy coffee.. as well as a vast and delicious array of teas, which we will of course sip elegantly from beautiful tea cups. What is it about girls and our love for beautiful things.. why is a table prettier with flowers.. why do candles make a room so much more inviting.. and why is tea so much better from a beautiful tea cup? It's because beauty is within us and even though we sometimes don't realise it, we long for it. I just read these words below. Aren't they lovely..

We are beautiful from head to toe.. beautiful beyond compare.. absolutely flawless.

I thought about what to bake for tonight, and after flipping through the pages of my gorgeous recipe book, High Tea at The Victoria Room, I have decided to bake their famous scones. (The Victoria Room is in Darlinghurst in Sydney.. and you actually can go there for High Tea).

Martha Stewart also has some great scone recipes.. as does Donna Hay.. however today, here's what's on the menu..

THE VICTORIA ROOM :: SCONES

Ingredients

• 800g (5½ cups) self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 170g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, chopped and chilled
• 150g (¾ cup) castor sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 300mL milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• extra milk for glazing

Method

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Sift together flour and baking powder, then add salt. Using fingertips rub in chilled butter. Add sugar and lemon zest and rub further until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Then make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the milk with the vanilla. Working quickly, take the flour into the centre using a fork to make a soft dough. Form into a soft ball with floured hands.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board. Give it a few turns and gently roll out with a floured rolling pin to a 2½ cm thickness. Cut into rounds with a 5 cm scone cutter making sure not to twist the cutter. Place scones on the prepared tray approximately 2½ cm apart and brush with milk to glaze. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve with your favourite jam or conserve and cup of tea.

(The secret to The Victoria Room's famous scone recipe is to place the lemon zest in with the sugar).

Stay tuned for pictures...

nat x

Images - Natalie Box