Sunday's Breakfast Scones

When I was about 9 or 10, I loved to spend Christmas watching Home Alone. This morning I woke with that home alone feeling cause everybody had gone out by the time i woke to a sunny morning looking like a lion with his glorious mane. Thought the best way to start my day right was to treat myself to a hearty breakfast and what was heartier than good ol' home made scones?! (I know there's always bacon & eggs, but really.)
These scones are plain scones. I was intending to throw in some dried cherries and sultanas and had everything set on the table in preparation for that but i think i got so caught up in bringing the dough together that I cleanly forgot bout my precious dried fruit. So here i am with plain scones which aren't bad really. You can eat these with bacon, salmon spread if you like something savoury...or if you're like me and prefer eating them the English way, slice them in the centre and eat it with a generous serving of cream cheese, or low fat yoghurt and jam. What a way to start the day don't you think!

Breakfast Scones (by Sue Lawrence, 'Book of Baking')
Ingredients
2 scant cups self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp golden caster sugar
70g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
150ml milk

Preheat to 230dCelsius.
Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl, then stir in the sugar.
Rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. (this is the really fun part. My mom believes that if you're new at baking, you should try really simple recipes like scones but if you're not that confident, especially since you'll be getting down and dirty with your hands, do get someone to help you.) If you have the intention to add dried fruit or chocolate chips, add in about 50g/ a quarter cup of that with the dry ingredients. Then make a well in the centre and slowly add the milk, drawing the flour into the liquid with a table knife. Mix together gently. The dough should be soft but not sticky or overly wet.
Bring the dough together gently with floured hands and tip on to a floured surface. Pat out gently to a thickness of about an inch, then cut into scones. You can make these into typical round scones by using a fluted or plain cutter, or even use an upturned tumbler. I chose a wine glass to cut mine. Anything in the kitchen is always useful. Or, you may even choose to slice your scones into triangular slices.
Place these cut scones onto the baking sheet and bake near the top of hte oven for 12-15min until risen and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and eat barely warm.