Course: Afternoon tea, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: British, Scottish
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesminutes
Total Time: 35 minutesminutes
Servings: 6scones
Calories: 227kcal
Author: Jacq
These vegan buttermilk plain scones are so soft, light and irresistibly moreish. Not too sweet so perfect for dunking into your favourite soups or stews, as well as tasty filled with vegan whipped cream and fruit jam for an afternoon tea special.
Baking tray lined with parchment paper if necessary
Mixing bowl
cookie/biscuit cutter around 2 inch [5cm] diameter
Pastry brush optional, can just use fingertips
Jug or small bowl to prepare vegan buttermilk
Ingredients
Vegan buttermilk:
200mililitressoya milksoya milk curdles well, other plant milks less so but can still be used
2teaspoonsapple cider vinegaror fresh lemon juice
Scone mix:
225gramsplain flourall-purpose flour
2teaspoonbaking powderlevel measurement [i.e. run a knife over the teaspoon after scooping the powder to avoid adding too much]
½teaspoonbicarbonate of sodalevel measurement
½teaspooncream of tartarlevel measurement
60gramsvegan margarineor vegan butter
½teaspoonsalt
30gramssugarsuch as granulated/caster
Instructions
Prepare the vegan buttermilk:
Pour the soya milk into a jug or small bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar and stir well. Leave for 15-20 minutes to curdle.
Meanwhile prepare the scones:
Preheat the oven to 200 Fan/ 220C/ 428 Fahrenheit/ Gas 7.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl.
Stir through the salt and sugar.
Add the margarine to the bowl and using your fingertips rub the margarine into the flour mixture, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Pour in half the buttermilk and stir, add small amounts of milk and keep stirring until the scone dough starts to come together. You may not require all the buttermilk, use just enough to bring the dough into a ball. [if you run out of buttermilk simply use a little ordinary plant milk]
Add some flour to your work surface and dust your hands with flour.
Gently knead the scone dough together and pat down into a round about 1 inch thick [2.5cm].
If the dough is too sticky sprinkle in some extra flour and if the dough is too dry work in a little extra milk.
Dust the biscuit cutter with some flour.
Use the biscuit cutter and stamp out 6 scone rounds. [be careful to not twist the biscuit cutter when lifting the scone, just pull away the extra dough from the sides of the cutter and lift the cutter straight up. Gently push out the scone]
When the scone round is not big enough for the biscuit cutter, bring the dough back together into a ball and pat down to 1 inch high. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
You may have enough dough leftover for an extra smaller scone that is too small for the biscuit cutter. Simply use your hands to form it into a small round and bake with the rest of the scones. This is the bakers bonus or tester scone!
Brush the top of the scones with leftover vegan buttermilk. Be careful not to brush the milk round the sides of the scone, as this can affect the rise and shape of the scone.
Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Check your scones after 12 minutes, scones are ready when they have risen, are lightly golden and if you pat the bottom of the scone it will sound sort of hollow.Fan ovens tend to bake faster so if using a fan oven check your scones after 10 minutes.
Either leave the scones on the baking tray to cool or transfer to a wire rack. Or enjoy warm.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Store buttermilk scones within a food container or food/bread bag for up to 3 days.
Older, staler scones can be refreshed by placing in a warm oven for a few minutes, or even re-heat for a minute or two in an air-fryer.
Fresh or staler scones are simply delicious split in two and toasted, then spread with a little vegan margarine. So good! Toast each cut side within a dry fry-pan/skillet or panini hotplate, or toaster.
Toasted buttermilk scones are ideal for a quick breakfast, brunch, or snack.
Scones are perfect for the freezer, and can be frozen [well wrapped and placed in a freezer bag or food container] for 3-4 months.
Buttermilk scones are a tasty side-dish accompaniment for your favourite soups and stews. Enjoy a plain scone instead of doughballs.
Or split the scones and spread with margarine, vegan butter, hummus, guacamole, chutney, vegan soft cream cheese, peanut butter, fruit jam/jelly, etc.
A wedge of vegan cheese, sliced tomatoes and cucumber, olives, etc, and a buttermilk scone makes for a tasty light lunch.
For an afternoon tea time treat, fill the scones with whipped vegan cream and dollop of fruit jam/jelly.