Recipe: Buttermilk scones, honey cream and rhubarb conserve

Makes about 16

450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
150g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
1 (59g) egg
½ cup (125ml) buttermilk, plus extra
for brushing
Rhubarb conserve (recipe below), to serve

Honey cream
2 tbs honey
300ml pouring cream
200ml mascarpone

1. Adjust an oven shelf to sit in the top third of the oven, then preheat to 220ºC. Sift flour, sugar and ¼ tsp salt into a bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and buttermilk in a small jug, then pour over mixture. Using a dinner knife, mix wet ingredients into dry until they come together. For light-textured scones, it is important not to overwork the mixture. 
2. Turn mixture on to a well-floured surface and, using your hands, form it into a 2-2.5cm high round. Using a 5cm floured cutter, cut out rounds, pressing cutter straight down into dough and pulling it straight up without twisting. Reflour each time. Place scones 3cm apart on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Brush tops with a little extra buttermilk, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
3. For honey cream, combine honey and cream in a bowl. Place mascarpone in a bowl, gradually whisk in honey mixture, then whisk until soft peaks form. Serve warm scones with cream and conserve.

Rhubarb conserve
Combine 1 bunch rhubarb, chopped into 2cm lengths, with 350g granulated sugar, 1 finely chopped peeled green apple, scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean and juice of 1 lemon in a bowl and stand for 2 hours. Transfer mixture to a heavy-based saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then simmer rapidly for 15-20 minutes or until mixture is thick. Remove from heat. Cool. Makes 2 cups.

 

Recipes: Sophia Young. Photography: Ben Dearnley. Styling: Amber Keller. Food Preparation: Lisa Featherby. Stylist’s assistant: Nick Banbury. Fashion styling: Nadene Duncan. Hair & make up: David Novak-Piper.