(THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Scones are best served warm - just right for those get-togethers you can have with family and friends.

SAVOURY SWEET CHEESE SCONES

INGREDIENTS
200g all-purpose flour
100g self-raising flour
1½ tsp baking powder
60g castor sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbs coarse ground black pepper
90g butter, diced
35g grated cheddar cheese
40g chopped spring onion
200ml buttermilk

Glaze
1 egg yolk and 2 Tbs fresh milk

METHOD
1. Lightly grease a baking tray. Preheat oven to 220 deg C.
2. Sift both types of flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt and the three types of pepper.
3. Rub in butter with your fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in grated cheddar cheese and spring onion. Mix well.
4. Pour in buttermilk and mix to a soft dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured table top. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the dough and roll out to 2.5cm thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Cut dough into small squares with a knife dipped in flour.
5. Arrange the scones on the prepared tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
6. Remove tray from oven and brush the tops of the scones with the egg glaze. Return the tray to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove scones from the tray and serve immediately.

CRUNCHY OATS SCONES

INGREDIENTS
330g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
90g soft brown sugar
30g rolled oats
100g chilled butter, diced
Grated rind of one orange
200ml buttermilk
1 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
50g dried cranberries
45g yellow raisin

Glaze
1 egg yolk and 3 Tbs fresh milk (lightly beaten together)

METHOD
1. Lightly grease a baking tray. Preheat oven to 220 deg C.
2. Sift flour into a mixing bowl and add baking powder. Stir in salt. Add sugar and rolled oats. Add butter and use fingertips to rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles sandy breadcrumbs. Add grated orange rind.
3. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add buttermilk and orange juice. Quickly mix together with a spatula or pastry scraper until mixture begins to hold together. Be careful not to overmix. Mix in the dried fruits.
4. Turn out dough onto a floured table top. Knead quickly until dough is smooth. Roll out to a thickness of 2.5cm. Cut into diamond shapes with a knife dipped in flour.
5. Place on the greased tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the scones immediately with egg glaze.

DELIGHTFUL APRICOT SCONES

INGREDIENTS
300g all-purpose flour
55g dried apricots, chopped
25g cherries, diced
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
85g castor sugar
100g chilled butter, diced
½ tsp vanilla essence
200ml buttermilk

Glaze
2-3 Tbs fresh milk

METHOD
1. Grease a baking tray. Preheat oven to 200 deg C.
2. Add 1 to 2 Tbs flour to the chopped apricots and diced cherries. Stir to mix until evenly coated with flour. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, sift remaining flour and baking powder. Stir in salt and sugar. Rub in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles a sandy mixture. Stir in apricots and cherries.
4. Add the vanilla essence to the buttermilk and pour the mixture into the flour mixture. Using a spatula, mix to a soft but not sticky dough.
5. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured table top. Knead lightly and quickly until smooth. Pat out into a flat piece 2.5cm thick. Cut into 5cm rounds.
6. Place on the prepared tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove scones from oven and brush with glaze immediately.