Why have one cheese when you can have three? These scones are perfect for using up whatever cheese you've got left in the fridge, so try all kinds of combinations
Makes: 20 small scones
Makes20
CourseSnack
Prepare20 mins
Cook17 mins
Total time37 mins
Ingredients
300g self-raising flour
75g butter, cold and cubed
75g Mature grated cheddar
75g Red Leicester, grated, plus extra for sprinkling
50g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
¼ 25g pack chives, snipped
125ml whole milk
1 Waitrose British Blacktail medium Free Range Egg, beaten
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the flour into a large bowl and add the cubes of butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated cheeses and the chives, and make a well in the centre.
Gradually pour the milk into the centre of the well, stirring with a round-bladed knife. A soft, rough dough should form. You may need to add a little more milk to mop up any remaining flour. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very briefly to smooth it. Overhandling the dough will make your scones tough and flat, so knead as little as possible.
Gently roll the dough out to a thickness of around 3cm. Cut into rounds using a 4cm pastry cutter, cutting straight down without twisting, because this prevents the scones from rising properly. Very gently reroll the remaining dough, taking care not to handle it too much, and punch out more scones – you should get 20 in total. Arrange the scones on a baking tray, then brush the tops with a little egg wash and sprinkle with the extra Red Leicester.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Serve warm from the oven, split in 2, with a generous spread of butter.
