A really great nibble recipe for the festive season! The scones are best fresh, but they take no time at all to whip up.
Serves 6-8 as a nibble
for the scones:
220g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
50 twists of black pepper
50g cold butter
80ml milk, plus 2 tbsp milk
For the rest:
100g smoked salmon
1 small bunch of dill
1 small bunch of chives
100g creme fraiche
250g cream cheese
4 tsp capers
1 lemon
salt and pepper
Heat your oven to 200°C fan. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
Add your self-raising flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl, and your fresh black pepper. Mix it all together. Dice your butter into small cubes, then add this to the bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers, until the mixture resembles yellow breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you could do this by pulsing the mixture in a food processor.
Pour in your milk, and briefly mix it together to make a shaggy dough.
Lightly flour a clean work surface, then tip your dough out onto it. Roll it out into a rectangle about 3cm thick.
Take a round pastry cutter about 5cm wide, and dip it into flour. Cut your dough out into about 21 discs, then arrange them on your baking tray. Brush the tops with your remaining milk, then bake them for 10-12 minutes, until they are risen and golden on top.
Make your dip. Finely chop your salmon, dill and chives.
Add your cream cheese to a bowl, and whip it up with electric beaters until it is fluffy. Fold in your creme fraiche, then add your salmon, herbs and capers. Zest in your lemon, then season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve your scones warm with a bowl of dip on the side.