Hi everyone! So, I have once again finally made it back to visit you all and tell you about my latest bake. Unfortunately, I am late again...new years resolutions are already slipping! My goodness! I just realized today actually, that at this rate, pretty much one bake every month as it is turning out to be... I may finish this baking challenge in perhaps... 20 years from now! :) Oh my! That can't be right! Hint, there are over 250 recipes in her book. Oh dear... but I am having fun on this baking journey. One of my favourite quotes is "Life is a journey, not a destination." So, if I do end up taking 20 years or more to finish - that's ok. :)
So for my bake this week, I felt like making something to accompany supper... and that turned out to be Mary Berry's Cheese and Olive Scone Bake from Mary Berry's Baking Bible - page 325. It sounded savoury and tasty, paired along with a slice of salmon, potatoes, and a strawberry salad. So, I was definitely looking forward to it.
I learned from this recipe, and expanded on my vocabulary. I also had some hints and tricks from my Mum over the years too in regards to making scones. Always use the end of your fingertips when rubbing the butter into the flour. This is because your fingertips are much cooler - you also want to work the dough as lightly as possible. This will help make your scones light, fluffy, and airy. You don't want to overwork the dough if you can help it.
Starting out, I put the oven on at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mary called for a 230 degree Celsius oven which converted to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. But I thought I would try it a little lower, and without the fan. (I have never baked anything that high actually, and I think I had fears it would burn very quickly). I then greased a 9x13 metal pan. I measured the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. (I added a little less salt than Mary called for). I then rubbed the butter into the flour mixture until it looked like breadcrumbs. I then grated my cheese, there is quite a bit in this recipe! You will think it's a lot, just like I did! It is worth it though, so stay true to the recipe :)
Chop up some olives... I ended up using less than Mary's measurements...but that is also partly because I ran out too! Mary calls for black olives, I used canned black olives, but it wasn't nearly enough. So I ended up using a combination of black and green olives. I used the leftover green olives stuffed with pimento paste that I had in a jar. They still didn't measure up! Literally! :) But, as it turned out, they seemed to be just fine in the loaf - they didn't overload it.
This is where I learned the word that would have made my scone bake a disaster, if I hadn't understood it properly right at that moment! This word, oblong, seemed to boggle me! I'd never heard it before. In my mind, I thought it meant a long roll - like when you roll up cinnamon bun dough to slice it. Mary says in the recipe..."then roll out on to a lightly floured work surface to an oblong to fit the tin." For some reason, in my head, I was thinking of a long roll just long enough to fit in the tin. If I had also taken proper time to read her description of the recipe, I would have realized it was flat. Mary's description is "Making one large scone if fastest of all, as you don't have to roll and cut out the mixture." Oh, Katrina. I suppose I was hungry, saw the title, and thought, "Oh, this will be great for supper!" Jump to ingredients, and directions.
If there is one lesson I have got to learn quickly in this challenge, it is to take time and read the recipe top to bottom. One I keep forgetting. So, after a long discussion with my Mum on what an oblong is, a rectangle basically, two short and two long sides, I figured out to roll out my dough mixture lightly with a rolling pin. I often gently shaped the sides with my hands too.
Once it fits your pan, lightly brush it with milk. I'm still not sure why really, and if Mary Berry was in front of me I would ask her why! :) If anyone knows, please write me in the comments. I think it could be so the top of the scone will still be a little moist, so that when the parmesan cheese is added on later while it is baking, maybe it sticks on better? I'm not sure, but would love to know why as I find it really curious! So, anyways, Mary called for a 15 minute bake before adding the parmesan cheese topping, and then baking 5 minutes more. The time turned out perfectly for me at 425 degrees.
It was lovely and soft, and raised quite nicely. I then understood that if I hadn't rolled it out flat for the pan, and kept it in a long roll, it would have risen extremely high, and would not have baked properly at all, and would have most likely turned out to be a very sticky mess. So, oblong, I understand you now!
I forgot about my final photo! I was so excited to try some when it was hot and fresh, and with some real butter of course! I also didn't read the part where Mary said "mark into 12 squares," before putting in the oven. But, I think in the end, it could be a personal choice, if you would like to do that before or after. For me, I ended up cutting half and freezing it. It was a large scone, and with ample for supper, breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, I thought it was best to freeze some for another day.
I will be making it again one day for sure, but maybe when we are having friends or family over for supper. It would make a great dish for large family gatherings, where everyone can still reach up for seconds.
I hope you enjoyed this bake. See you in a little while.
I will end with "Ready, Set, BAKE!"
~*Next Bake Coming Soon*~
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