Sultana Scones - Ellas Better Bakes

Alter quantities (metric only) 8 large scones

150 g Strong white bread flour (1 Cup)
150 g Plain (all-purpose) flour (1 Cup)
4 teaspoon Baking powder must be level
¼ tsp Fine salt
60 g Unsalted butter softened and cut into small cubes
30 g Caster (superfine) sugar (2 tablespoons)
80 g Sultanas aka golden raisins in the US (½ Cup)
2 Large eggs at room temperature (one egg is for the egg wash, you can use milk as an alternative)
125 ml Whole milk (½ Cup) at room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Heat your oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/430°F/Gas mark 7.
Line your large baking tray with a piece of greaseproof (parchment) paper.
Sift together both flours, baking powder and salt into your large mixing bowl.
Dot over softened butter and then rub into the flour mixture with your fingers, lifting the mixture up high as you go to incorporate air. Stop once the texture is sand-like and no lumps of butter remain.
Stir in your sugar and sultanas and then make a well in the centre.
Lightly beat together your room temperature milk, egg and vanilla extract and then pour into the well in the centre of your scone mixture.
Mix with your fork until it forms a slightly sticky dough and all of the crumbs have been incorporated.
Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring together into a ball, knead about 5-6 times only.
Flatten out to a depth of one inch and then cut out 4 scones with your pastry cutter, bring the remaining dough together and cut out the remaining 4 scones.
Place your scones onto your lined baking tray leaving a gap of at least an inch between each one.
Bake for 10 minutes, if lightly golden on the top and base they are ready, if not give them another 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, this is a hot oven.
Remove to a cooling rack and leave to cool, serve warm with jam and clotted cream.

Sift your flours, baking powder and salt together in order to add air and give your scones a lightness.
After rubbing the butter into your flour mixture, give the bowl a shake backwards and forwards to bring any remaining larger lumps of butter to the surface, which you can then rub in.
Pull your sultanas apart before mixing them into your flour mixture, they have a tendency to clump together, and also ensure any stalks are removed.
Use a fork to mix in the wet ingredients it is far easier than mixing with a spoon!
Sultana Scone dough should be quite wet and a sticky to touch, however if yours feels too wet simply add more flour.
Dip your pastry cutter in flour in between cutting out each Sultana Scone, to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
Push the pastry cutter into the dough in one clean movement and then pull it straight out, this will give your sultana scones smooth sides.
Push sultanas back into the dough once you've cut your scones out, protruding sultanas will burn!
When you eggwash your sultana scones be sure to paint it around the sides as well as the top to give a bronzed all-over glow.
Be careful not to overbake your scones (I speak from experience!), scones are baked in a hot oven and even a minute too long can render them overdone.