Wild garlic cheese scones

WILD GARLIC CHEESE SCONES

Give traditional cheese scones a brilliant twist with the addition of freshly picked wild garlic. Makes about 6 scones. Prep time: 20 mins Bake time: 20 mins

(Always make sure you have correctly identified the plants when picking your wild garlic, as our British woods contain other plants that can be poisonous. Pick it slightly away from paths where dogs might walk, and always leave some for others). 

INGREDIENTS

• 220g self-raising flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• ½ teaspoon English mustard powder (optional)
• 50g chilled butter, cut into small cubes
• 120g of strong mature or vintage Cheddar, grated
• A generous handful of wild garlic, finely chopped
• 100ml milk, plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking sheet with parchment or non-stick baking liner. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and mustard into a large bowl and stir until combined.

Add the butter to the bowl and rub it in with your fingertips until it is the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle 100g of the cheese into the mixture and rub together until evenly distributed. Add the chopped wild garlic and stir well.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the milk in stages until you have a soft ball of dough, not too sticky. 

Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 2cm thick. Cut out the scones with a cutter, then brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 

Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden brown and cooked through, and cool on a wire rack.

They are very good just buttered, but you can add more Cheddar and chutney if you wish. Perfect for a ploughman's lunch or a picnic!