FLAKY BUTTER BISCUITS, Sugar-Free, incl Cheese Scones

UNFORGETTABLE BUTTER BISCUITS

first posted 2015;updated 2024

'The flakiest, butteriest, tenderest scones in the world!' Blogger 

photo 29/5/15

This recipe is taken straight from Robert Carrier, one of the first celebrity chefs, and I make no apologies.  They are the best I have ever had and I have been making them for years in various permutations.  

Best known for classical French restaurant cooking in his heyday, Carrier in his later years produced a wonderful cookbook for the home chef (sadly out of print.)  The recipes were for home cooking but the way he combined ingredients and his cooking techniques make the results truly special.  And so it is with these biscuits, the flakiest, most tender biscuits in the world.  (The cheese variation go perfectly with Beef and Dark Beer Stew.)

The biscuits have a high fat content but there is no sugar.  Anyone with fat/cholesterol issues should proceed with caution or practice strict portion control.  (Try making the scones smaller!)

It is possible to make the scones healthier by replacing some of the flour with self-raising wholemeal (see tips below).  The scones/biscuits are altered a little but in what some consider a good way, adding a slight nuttiness which doesn't affect the rich flavour and gorgeous textures. 

They are best eaten on the day but freeze well.  They can be re-heated in an 180c/350f/Gas Mark 3 oven for 5-10 mins.  

Cost: £3'ish
Makes: 12-14

Ingred:
12 oz/350gm plain flour (organic gives  even better flavour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

5 oz/150 gm cold, cubed butter

2 eggs, well beaten
7 tbsp very cold milk.

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to very hot -- 240c; 220cfan, 475f; Gas 9
2.  Sift dry ingred. into a bowl; rub or coarsely pulse in butter until mixture resembles peas
3. (If using cheese, add it here, stiring into the flour mix)
4. Beat eggs & add milk
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; pour in eggs & milk.  Stir lightly with a fork until mixture just holds together.
6.  Turn out onto a lightly floured board and press lightly and quickly into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.  Mentally divide the rectangle into three, lengthwise.  Fold the left hand side onto the middle; and the right hand side onto the middle & left sides.

Tri-folding of dough

 (Layers are being introduced into the dough, like puff pastry.  I promise you, it is worth it!)   Give a half turn and repeat twice, rolling lightly with a rolling pin or pressing lightly between each folding, handling dough as little as possible.
7.  Roll it out to just over 1inch (2 cm) thick.  Cut into 2 1/2 inch/6cm rounds with a floured biscuit cutter.  Or, divide the rectangle into 12-14 smaller rectangles.
7.  Bake on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space in between, 12-15 min until well-risen and richly golden.
  

Tips:

• Cream tea scones for a crowd: use a small cutter; allow scones to cool completely; halve and spread with clotted cream and jam or fresh strawberries on each half; the portion is one half per person 
• for flaky cheese biscuits, add 3 oz/75 gr strong grated cheddar (cheddar with chives & onion is a favourite)
• another variation adds a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped mixed herbs
• make them healthier by replacing 1/4 flour with self-raising wholemeal

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This recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and  may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.