Jam-bellied Bran Scones
These scones, with built-in cream and jam, are cute and convenient. They blend the goodness of bran muffins with scone luxury.Makes 10-12, depending on size and how particular you are about using up all the pastry 😊
Servings: 12 scones
Equipment
- You only need a tray big enough to take half the rounds – mine is 35 x 38cm. The scones are made up of two halves that are stacked. However, you do need somewhere to put all the rounds when you first cut them, so a second tray or plate is handy.
Ingredients
- 85 g unsalted butter (cold)
- 120 g sour cream
- 120 g cream minimum 35% fat
- 195 g plain/all-purpose flour
- Tablespoon baking powder
- 95 g soft dark-brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 75 g oat or wheat bran
- extra plain/all-purpose flour for dusting
- approx. 3 Tablespoons fruit jam whatever flavour you like, not too chunky in texture
To Top
- 1 egg
- Tablespoon demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven – to 190°C.
- Butter & Creams – cut up cold butter into small cubes and put back in the fridge. Combine the sour and double cream in a small bowl and put in the fridge.85 g unsalted butter120 g sour cream120 g cream
- Prepare Tray - line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
- Dry Ingredients – sieve the flour, baking powder and soft sugar in a large bowl. Stir though the salt and bran to combine.195 g plain/all-purpose flourTablespoon baking powder95 g soft dark-brown sugar½ teaspoon salt75 g oat or wheat bran
- Egg – whisk the egg well in a small bowl. It will be easier to brush on if it’s not too gloopy.1 egg
- Rub in Butter - add the cold cubed butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour mix until the largest bits are the size of small peas. I find it useful to shake the bowl on the work surface back and forth so that the larger lumps rise to the surface and can be dealt with.
- Creams -gently stir the cold creams through the flour mix using a silicone spatula. Fold through just until the mixture comes together, there is no dry flour visible. Stop there.
- Roll Out – tip out pastry onto a very well-floured surface. Press out gently with floured hands (no need to use a rolling pin). Periodically spin the pastry and use a pastry scraper to ensure the pastry isn’t sticking and throw more flour underneath if so. Don’t flip the pastry. It will have a texture like mashed potato. You’re aiming for about a centimetre thick.extra plain/all-purpose flour
- Cut Rounds – cut out 6cm rounds. Transfer these to the baking sheet as you make them. Keep going until all the pastry is used up. Try and get as many rounds as you can from the first pressing out. Then gather up the scraps and repeat to use it all up. Hopefully you’ll end up with an even number of rounds so that you can pair them up 😊
- Dimple & Jam – place half the rounds on the lined baking sheet, allowing for a little space to grow between them. They’ll expand a bit in the oven. Use a floured fingertip to gently press a dimple into the middle of these. This is the base of each scone. Dollop about ½-¾ teaspoon of jam onto each of the dimples.approx. 3 Tablespoons fruit jam
- Top & Seal – brush some of the egg wash around the edge of the jammy half. Place an undimpled round on the top of each. Press around the edge gently with floured fingers to seal. Use a thumb and forefinger to go simultaneously north/south, then east/west and then in between these points on each scone.
- Egg Wash & Sugar - generously brush each scone top with egg wash. Sprinkle with a big pinch of demerara (about ¼ teaspoon) per scone.Tablespoon demerara sugar
- Bake - for around 15 minutes until golden brown on top. Turning halfway through. Great served warm.
Notes
Make Ahead – make the scones up to three days in advance and place them, well covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge overnight (or in the freezer for up to 3 months). They can be placed in a pre-heated oven straight from the fridge (defrost overnight in the fridge first if frozen).
Leftovers – these keep well at room temperature (not in the fridge) in a well-sealed container for up to 5 days. You can microwave briefly to serve them warm and ‘freshen’ them up a bit.