ordinary scones

these have Gluten and Dairy in them.
Ingredients these make approx 6 small to medium scones for more or giant scones double ingredients quantities.

225grammes self raising flour or plain flour
25grammes of butter or margarine
150mls milk or buttermilk.(please see note below)
25grammes of caster sugar
1.5teaspoons of baking powder if you use plain flour

Steps
Preheat oven to 200degrees celsius and place baking tray in oven to warm while preheating.
Place flour and baking powder in bowl, you can sieve it tends to give a slightly lighter texture but not essential by any means.
Stir with knife to mix.
Rub in butter or margarine to flour until it resembles soft breadcrumbs.
Add caster sugar and stir.
Add 100mls of milk and mix with knife to form soft dough, continue adding last 50mls of milk until all flour has been mix to form soft but not too wet or sticky dough. If too wet sprinkle in some more flour little at a time, if too dry add a little more milk. Try to mix together in as few strokes as possible.
Sprinkle flour onto a board or clean counter top. Turn dough out on to board. Gently shape with hands to form log or rectangle about 3cms high. Then dip knife in flour and cut log into chunks, each chunk will make a scone. If using rectangle cut into chunks the cut chunks in half. (the reason behind cutting it this way is it allows for less handling of dough so prevents scones becoming too tough)
You can brush the tops of these scones with some milk, feel free to use your fingers and dip them in the milk and rub the top of scones gently it is up to you. I have done it both ways and they will always be eaten regardless.
Remove baking tray from oven, quickly place scones on tray and return to oven. Bake for 12 to 15mins approx. To test if cooked, lift one scone and tap the underneath, if it sounds hollow it's cooked, if not you can lower temp to 170degrees celsuis and cook for 5 to 10 mins more.(this is necessary for giant scones)
Allow to cool as much as you wish on a wire rack then enjoy with butter/jam/marmalade/cream or all of the above.

Notes:
The principle idea when making scones is quick and light touch, this is why i find the knife to mix and the log technique the easiest. you can cut round scone shapes if you wish by gently flattening out the dough to 3cm high and using a cookie cutter or glass dipped in flour, so it won't stick, to cut out the shapes, then gather up the unused dough shape it into a ball and start again with flattening.
The hot baking tray causes the baking powder or self raising flour to start the rising action straight away helping to give fluffier scones.