Scones

1. Preheat the oven to 230ºC fan forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, salt and icing sugar together into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your finger tips until well incorporated, no lumps remain and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Use a butter knife to cut into the flour mixture until the mixture comes together into a dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured bench. Bring the dough together with floured hands and pat out smoothly to 2.5cm thick. Ensure the top is flat by gently smoothing over with a rolling pin. Uneven scones will cause an uneven rise.
5. Using a well-floured 5.5cm round cookie cutter, cut out 16 scones, ensuring you make straight up-and-down movements, as twisting the cutter will cause your scones to rise on an angle.
6. Brush off any excess flour on the top and base of each scone. Transfer scones to the prepared tray, allowing a 5-10mm gap between each one. First place 4 scones in the centre of the tray, then the remaining scones around the outside of these.
7. Bake on the middle shelf for 14-16 minutes, rotating the tray half-way through the cooking time, or until risen and evenly golden.

Supplied by Kerryn from CWA of WA.