Orkney Cheddar Beremeal Scones

NorthLink Ferries Sous Chef George O’Neill’s 11 year old daughter, Eva made up a recipe for Orkney Cheddar Beremeal Scones. George explained that here at NorthLink, it is important to us where our produce comes from.

Eva drew a map to show exactly where all the ingredients, used in her recipe for Orkney Cheddar Beremeal Scones, are produced in Orkney!

She drew a map to show exactly where all the ingredients are produced in Orkney!

Eva made up the scones (with a little assistance) from George and they were delicious! The recipe is super-easy so we thought we would share it with you here!

Makes roughly 15 scones.

Ingredients:

• 350g strong white flour
• 100g Beremeal flour
• 5 teaspoons of baking powder
• 100g butter (cold and diced)
• A good pinch of sea salt
• 150g grated Orkney smoked cheese
• 1 large egg (beaten)
• 300ml whole milk

• 2 egg yolks (to glaze the scones)
• 20g strong flour (to dust the surface and baking tray)
• 10g butter (to grease the baking tray)

Method:

1. Pre- heat oven at 200 °C
2. Grease a large baking tray with the 10g butter and lightly dust with flour.
3. In a large bowl, add both types of flour, baking powder and pinch of sea salt.
4. Add cold and diced butter to the bowl and rub into the flour with your fingertips. It’s worth taking time to ensure the butter is completely combined with the flour and no lumps of butter are present.
5. Add the grated cheese to the bowl with the beaten egg.
6. Gradually add the milk a bit at a time and using your hand, mix everything together to form a dough. You may not need all of the milk to achieve this.
7. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and tip your dough out of the bowl. Give the dough two or three kneads; but not too many so you don’t overwork the dough.
8. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and using a rolling pin roll out the dough giving the dough a half turn each time. Roll the dough out till about 3cm in depth.
9. Using a pastry cutter or an upturned glass dip into flour and cut the scones out from the dough. Ensure that you dip your cutter or glass in the flour before each cut so it doesn’t stick.
10. Put your scones on the prepared baking tray.
11. Glaze the top of each scone with the egg yolk and a pastry brush. At this stage, you could put the scones in the fridge for 10 minutes to set the egg yolk glaze and achieve a good finish to your scone. This is worth doing, but not necessary!
12. Finally brush another glaze onto the top of the scones and bake for 12 minutes at 200°C; it’s worth removing one scone from the oven at the end of the time and breaking it in half, to check t­­­hat the scones are baked through the middle. Give them a few more minutes if they are slightly doughy.
13. Serve with a good spread of butter!

By George O’Neill
Chef from Aberdeen who considers himself very lucky to live and work in the beautiful Orkney islands. When on leave from the ship, George enjoys cooking for family and friends and hanging out with his wonderful daughter, Eva.

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