Sunday 11 March 2012

Eton Mess Scones


Every year, there are a couple of days were I just long for summer.

Shorts, iced tea, lunch on the benches by the fountain, hazy afternoons, beer gardens, lemon sorbet, seeing the cottage in daylight during the week (this doesn't happen in winter...), sundresses, pretty sandals, Birkenstocks, beach hair. Maxi dresses. Huge salads, mint lemondade, rose wine with the besty, rearranging the garden furniture for maximum sun tanning experience, giving the cats ice cubes to play with, not wearing a coat, or a scarf, jaunts to the seaside.



Strawberries, barbeques, ice cream vans, running for the ice cream van with no shoes on, watermelon, Pimms o'clock, driving with the windows open and playing The Beach Boys, the smell of tomatoes growing in the garden, sunglasses, festivals (although sadly no Glastonbury this year), garden parties, holidaying, sun tan strap lines, al fresco dining, pear cider.

The day I made these scones - it rained. All day. It was cold and windy. The next day was gloriously sunny, still a bit nippy, but getting there. This has brought me to the conclusion that these scones will chase away bad weather. They scream of summer. If they aren't reasons to make them, then I don't know what is...



Ingredients

Meringue
1 egg white
1/4tsp white wine vinegar
100gr caster sugar

Scones
125ml milk
60ml buttermilk
2tbsp double cream (from a 300ml carton - reserve the rest for serving)
1 large egg
240gr flour
50gr ground almonds
125gr butter
200gr strawberries, hulled and chopped

Method

For the meringue

1, Beat the egg whites until they are foamy and add in the vinegar.
2, Carry on beating the egg whites until they reach soft peaks.
3, Turn the speed up and slowly start adding in the caster sugar.
4, Carry on beating the mixture until you can rub a tiny bit between your fingers and it doesn’t feel grainy and you've reached a thick glossy mixture that holds its shape when you lift the whisk.
5, Preheat your oven to 100 degrees C, line a baking sheet with baking paper and pipe small rosettes onto it. Bake for 1 hour, turn off the oven and leave the oven to go cold. Keep them in an airtight container.


For the scones

1, Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2, In a bowl or large jug beat together with milk, buttermilk, double cream and egg together until well combined.
3, In a separate bowl rub the butter into the flour and then gently fold the liquid ingredients. You will have quite a soft dough at this point. Gently stir in the strawberries so not to break them up to much.
4, Scoop out the dough and form a round of dough about 15cm across and about 2-3 cm thick. Slice into 8 pieces and carefully transfer them onto the baking sheet.
5, Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
6, Leave to cool through on a wire rack.
7, To serve, whip the remaining cream to medium soft peaks, stir through some of the meringue (as much or as little as you fancy) and then spoon into the split scones.



I'm entering these Eton Mess Scones into Karen & Kate's Tea Time Treats. Karen is hosting this month's challenge of scones

20 comments:

  1. These actually look delicious, who'd of thought it would make such a good combination!

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    1. Strawberries and cream are a classic combo and delicious in scone form :)

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  2. What an ABSOLUTELY brilliant entry Hannah, thanks so much.....and what a great idea too, I have strawberries and may try these!
    Thanks for entering tea time treats!
    Karen

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    1. Thanks Karen, I was a bit scared when I put these into bake - the dough was so soft but they produced a gorgeous scone!

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  3. What a great idea, combining two of my favourites. I love scones and eat them all year, but with Eton Mess they must taste superb.

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    1. Thank you :) They are really good without being filled with cream and meringue too!

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  4. Thank you ever so much for a fab entry- and so so summery! Its been a very warm and sunny day here today actually (hurrah! Spring has finally sprung) and your lovely post has just reminded me of all the wonderful things Summer has to offer!

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    1. Thanks Kate - I think spring has finally sprung down here too, the cottage is suspiciously full of daffodils which is a surefire sign...

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  5. I really want summer to come now. I might not have much chance to enjoy all those things you mentioned but I'm definitely digging out my Beach Boys CDs right now. (Actually, I look terrible in a sundress and most of my afternoons have been pretty hazy for years). Great idea for scones - several of them would have been most welcome this afternoon in the sunshine.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Phil. Maybe you should give sundresses another chance? ;)

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  6. I love your Blog hannah, you literally make everything that I've thought of making!! Loving the crepe pancake idea, it seems tres fashionable in the baking world at the moment.

    Ive joined your Blog! Please check my baking and fashion blog and join too!

    http://lellysgallery.blogspot.com/

    xx

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    1. Thanks Lelly! The crepe cake was a little heavy on the stomach but still really tasty! Love your blog too :)

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  7. Oooh, these look delicious! I'm craving one now and it's only breakfast time, but that would be ok wouldn't it?

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    1. Its got fruit in it which makes them healthy which means they are perfectly fine for breakfast! Thanks Nic!

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  8. Such a summery treat! I must admit I'm more of an autumn/winter person (I love my layers!) although even I'm excited about summer after this post. Can't wait until Wimbledon season so I can get the strawberries and cream out!

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    1. Thanks Jo, I love the transition seasons the best. I'd give it a couple of months and I'll be cursing the heat - if we get any!

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  9. Oh these sound so good. Love Eton mess, but what a brilliant idea to turn it into a scone. I bet these were delicious indeed. A glass of Pimms to hand would finish them off nicely.

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    1. Thank you Choclette! A glass of Pimms would have been perfect!

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  10. Love the sound of your scones, bet you must have been so happy when they came out of the oven. Perfectly gorgeous! x

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  11. im enjoying have a glance at your back catalogue. i'm trying to improve my baking (only beginning....) and i love your unsual recipes - this one looks great, will have to try soon!

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