Cheese and chive scones with pear and honey
Rick Stein’s generously sized cheese and chive scones are delicious for lunch or afternoon tea, especially when served with extra cheese and sliced pears.
Ingredients
- 450g/1lb self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter, cubed
- 225g/8oz mature cheddar, grated (I use Davidstow cheddar)
- bunch chives, chopped
- 200–250ml/7–9fl oz milk
To serve
- sliced cheddar (or other hard cheese), sliced pears and clear honey
Method
Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and mustard powder into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mix resembles fine crumbs. Stir in about 200g/7oz of the cheese, and the chives. Add enough of the milk to bring the mixture together to a soft, but not sticky, dough.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and briefly knead. Roll out the dough to about 4cm/1½in thick. Using a 6–7cm/2½–2¾in cookie cutter, cut out the scones and transfer to a baking sheet.
Brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the scones. Bake for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden.
Cool on a wire rack. Serve while still slightly warm. Cut in half and top each with a slice of cheese, a slice of pear and a drizzle of honey.