EGG & BUTTER FREE FLAKY SCONES: Vegetarian with vegan opt

Even when eggs are hard to come by, no one has to forgo the teatime treat of  flaky scones topped with jam...

An absence of eggs and butter doesn't mean scrummy flakiness is lacking
`just as delicious as conventional scones' 

These were first made by the blogger many years ago for a visitor who was allergic to eggs.  The results were so delicious and flaky, they were as much of a treat as the Blogger's usual recipe.

The egg-free recipe had to take a back seat however as cholesterol and sugar issues came to a fore.  In these unstable times, however, comfort food is not just a treat, it's a necessity -- even if there is an egg shortage.  

This recipe isn't that much healthier than the original.  The butter is replaced with double cream and unless you can find a suitable vegan substitute, cholesterol levels will be high.  It also includes sugar, though not very much.  67 didn't bother with sugar, preferring to add sweetness with jam or savouriness with sliced cheese afterwards.  

But one great bonus -- it's a one-bowl wonder which takes only minutes to put together.

Cost: £1.50
Makes: 9 medium

Ingreds:
    200g/7.05 self raising flour (plain flour: add 2.25 tsps baking powder)
    1/4 tsp salt
    50g sugar (opt)
    200-250ml double cream


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220c/425f/gas7
2. Mix flour and salt in a good-sized bowl
3. Add sugar and 200ml double cream; mix with a fork until it starts clumping together; if too dry, add more cream little by little until it just holds together
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and press lightly and quickly into a rectangle about 1/2inch/1cm thick.  Mentally divide the rectangle into
   
   three, lengthwise.  Fold the left hand side onto the middle and the right hand side on top of both.  Repeat twice, pressing lightly with hands or  rolling pin between each folding, handling dough as little as possible. 
5. Roll it out to just over 1/2in ( cm) thick.  Cut, without twisting, into 2 1/2 inch/6cm (or smaller rounds) with a floured biscuit cutter, reforming leftover dough.  Or, using a sharp knife, cut into  12-14 rectangles.
6. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet in the centre of the oven 15 min or until richly golden; they should sound hollow when knocked
7. Cool completely before eating.

Comments:
'I had to use half self-raising brown flour as I was running out of white but the results were delicious.' Blogger

Tips:

• While eggs are scarce in supermarkets, local bakeries and neighbourhood shops have plenty of free-range eggs for sale
• if using brown flour, more liquid will be needed  

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.