Grandma Johnson's Scones

I guess I am on a recipe sharing kick!

This Sunday we had a little baby shower for 2 girls in our lifegroup that are having their 2nd children...their due dates are about a month apart and they are both having little girls (both of their first borns are boys).

So we decided to throw them a little girly joint shower. We had made all our plans but then my dear friend Mel decided maybe we should try to make it into a "tea party" and asked if I would consider making scones.

It's been a while since I made my scones...I used to make them alot - but it's probably down to 2-3 times a year tops at this point. I found this recipe at random, just after I was married I believe, and they are truly some of the best scones on the face of the earth. I can say that because I didn't come up with the recipe, I just follow it. Anyone can do it - I promise!

So, I happily obliged, and while I was making them I decided I should blog about this! I think sometimes people are intimidated by scones - but these are really easy. You can't really mess them up - they always come out very edible!

**Disclaimer** - if you love an authentic British scone, this probably won't be anything like it. I have actually not had one myself, but I love British things and I bet I would love them too. Having said that, these are still REALLY good scones :)

I'll start with my SUPER cute cookbook (sarcasm). My mom got me this when I was in college to hold recipes in. Glamorous, I know. Cock-a-doodle-doo.

Here is my ancient print out of the recipe (from allrecipes.com) - and here is the link if you want to look it up yourself! 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grandma-johnsons-scones/

nice little scone bit on the recipe if you look closely...

Since I was making a batch, I decided to go big or go home. So I made a DOUBLE batch. Some for the shower, some for me, some for other friends, and then some more for me. In making a double batch I find it most helpful to use my extra large mixing bowl. Josh got me this mixing bowl as a gift a long time ago for 2 reasons... (1) I asked for it; (2) I was making double batches of scones so often that I really needed something huge and wide to mix it in.

I tried to capture just how large this mixing bowl is...

Here you have my hand for comparison...still doesn't quite do it justice.

I tried. I just can't prove it's hugeness through photo. Feel free to come visit the bowl any time to see just how large and amazing it is.

Ok, back to the actual recipe. I thought to help some of you random folks out there actually have the courage to make these, you might like to see some helpful hints along the way.

First the ingredients:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup raisins (optional & I never ever use raisins!)

1. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.

The baking soda and sour cream react and it gets really fluffy. I usually mix them together and then mix the dry ingredients and then when you are ready to use the sour cream mix, it looks like this:

Looks so tasty. But its plain sour cream and baking soda.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

Please note - I have never greased a baking sheet. The scones have never stuck. So no worries there!

3.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in the raisins. (or your mix-in of choice!)

So here you will see all my dry ingredients mixed together and then you might not know how to "cut in" the butter. You can actually "cut" it into the mixture by using 2 knives. I did that for a long time before I got my pastry blender!

This mixture is so HAPPY to know it will be yummy scones!!

This is a pastry blender. It makes the "cutting in" much easier. 

Once you have blended that all well, the mixture will have little lumps of butter in it. That is fine, and that is what you want for this type of baked good. And make sure your butter isn't too warm. These will be a better texture if the butter is cold-cool. Doesn't have to be frozen, but cold is better. My favorite mix ins are blueberries and also mini chocolate chips. You can do a bazillion different combinations, but those two are a favorite.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Ok, if you cut these things into 12 you would have the thickest and biggest scones you have ever seen. No no no. I make them much smaller. Serving sizes people, serving sizes!! And I like cutting mine in random shapes. I just kind of make a rectangle and then go to town. They look home made, which is how I want it to look. Not like a Starbucks scone.

Ready for cutting

5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.

Ok, I don't know what kind of super-oven Grandma Johnson baked with, but I have never had an oven that these scones went for 12-15 minutes in. And if you did them as thick and as large as her recipe says, well then just forget it. You wouldn't even be close to done! I usually don't set a timer as I just kind of check on them and know when they are ready. But I timed it just for you all (that's so kind of me)!  And it took exactly 18 minutes in my oven for them to be softly golden along the bottom edges.

This is the final look you are going for!

So I hope I gave you the courage to go for it with these scones. I promise that they are a crowd pleaser and they do not disappoint!!