Walnut & Sage Cheese Scones with Spiced Pickled Apple
These savoury scones combine sharp cheddar, crunchy walnuts and fragrant sage, served with quick pickled apple for a bright, spiced contrast. They make a lovely snack or light lunch, best eaten warm with butter and extra cheese.
Ingredients
-
225
g
self-raising flour
plus extra for dusting -
1/2
tsp
English mustard powder -
1
tsp
baking powder -
55
g
cold unsalted butter
cubed -
30
g
walnuts
finely chopped -
125
g
cheddar cheese
grated -
90
ml
milk
plus extra for brushing -
8
sage leaves - salt & freshly ground black pepper
- to serve: salted butter, thinly sliced cheddar cheese
Quick Pickled Apples
-
125
ml
white wine vinegar -
2
tbsp
caster sugar -
1
bay leaf -
1
cinnamon stick -
10
peppercorns -
1
large eating apple
peeled & thinly sliced
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/390°F/gas 6. Place a baking tray in the oven to warm while you prepare the scones.
-
Make the quick pickled apples first. In a small saucepan combine the white wine vinegar, caster sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, a good pinch of salt and 125ml water. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Arrange the apple slices in a heatproof container, pour over the hot pickling liquid, stir briefly and leave to macerate while you make the scones.
-
Sift the flour, English mustard powder and baking powder into a bowl. Add the cubed cold butter, a pinch of salt and some black pepper. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the chopped walnuts and most of the grated cheddar, reserving a small handful of cheese for topping.
-
Pour in the milk and bring the mixture together briefly with your hands until it forms a dough. The dough will be crumbly; if it won’t hold together, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it does. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll into a disc about 2.5cm thick.
-
Cut the disc into quarters and then into eighths, like slicing a pizza. Place each triangular scone on a sheet of baking parchment. Brush lightly with milk, sprinkle the reserved cheese over each piece and top with a sage leaf. Grind a little black pepper over the tops.
-
Carefully transfer the parchment with the scones onto the hot baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes, until risen and golden. Allow the scones to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
-
Split the scones while still slightly warm, spread with salted butter, add thin slices of cheddar and a slice or two of the pickled apple. Serve immediately and enjoy.