scones with apple compote and cardamom cream

There’s not much you can do wrong with these. Scones are one of the easiest things to make, just be sure not to overwork the dough or they’ll be tough.

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Ingredients

For the scones:

• 500g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 110g chopped, super cold unsalted butter
• 250ml milk
• 1 egg

For the compote:

• 2-3 apples, diced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

For the cream:

• 300ml double cream
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Scones

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a bowl and use a whisk to combine. Add the chopped butter to the bowl, and using the tips of your fingers rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. It helps if your hands are cold, so the butter doesn’t melt as much.
2. Create a well in the centre of the mixture. Pour the milk into the well, and using a fork or the handle of a spoon bring the mixture together. Once it’s mostly together but not quite fully combined, use your hands instead of the fork to bring the clumps together. The dough may look very shaggy, but this is normal.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to a thickness of about 1 inch.
4. Use a round cutter to cut out discs, but take care not to twist the cutter. Twisting will prevent the scones from rising as much in the oven. Place the discs on a tray lined with baking paper.
5. Beat the egg in a bowl with a little milk and brush the mixture on the tops of the discs.
6. Place in oven for 15-20 mins, until golden brown. Allow to cool before eating.

Compote

1. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan and melt on medium heat, until the sugar is dissolved completely.
2. Add the apple and cinnamon to the saucepan, and cook until soft. Stir occasionally to prevent the sugar from burning.
3. Allow to cool before using.

Cream

1. Add 1/4 of the cream and the cardamom powder into a saucepan. Over a low heat, allow the flavour to infuse the cream. Be sure not to boil the cream. After 5 mins, take the saucepan off the heat and allow the cream to cool to room temperature.
2. Add the rest of the cream, powdered sugar and the infused cream to a bowl. Whip until peaks form.

To serve the scones, just break in half and spoon on as much or as little of the cream and apples as you like.