Treacle Scones
Dark, aromatic Scottish scones spiced with ginger and sweetened with rich black treacle. Best served warm and thickly spread with salted butter.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Total
- 29 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 195 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking tray
- •Greaseproof paper
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Small saucepan
- •6cm round cutter
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 195 kcal
- fat
- 5.8 g
- carbs
- 33 g
- fibre
- 1.2 g
- protein
- 3.5 g
- calories
- 195 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- 2
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar, ginger, mixed spice, and salt into a large bowl.
- 3
Rub the chilled butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until fine crumbs form.
- 4
Gently warm the treacle, golden syrup, and milk in a saucepan over low heat until smooth.
- 5
Pour the warm treacle mixture into the dry flour blend.
- 6
Mix quickly using a round-bladed knife until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- 7
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat gently to 2.5 cm thickness.
- 8
Cut rounds with a 6 cm cutter, pressing firmly straight down without twisting.
- 9
Place the scones onto the lined baking tray, spacing them 2 cm apart.
- 10
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch.
- 11
Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving warm with butter.
Chef's tips
Do not twist the pastry cutter when pressing down, as twisting seals the edges and stops the scones rising evenly. Handle the dough as lightly and quickly as possible to ensure a tender, fluffy crumb.
Ingredient substitutions
- golden syrup → an equal quantity of extra black treacle or dark brown sugar
- whole milk → buttermilk for a lighter texture and extra tang
Storage
Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two days.
Reheating
Warm in a low oven at 160°C for five minutes to restore softness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overworking the dough, which develops gluten and results in dense, tough scones
- •Overheating the treacle and milk mixture, which can cook the flour prematurely
- •Rolling the dough too thin before cutting, preventing a tall rise
Serving suggestions
Cooked Treacle Scones?
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