*This is S. Mahoney's recipe, with a comment or so from myself.
2 cups flour (I often replace a half cup or so with wheat flour, home-ground)
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp Sugar (Can be replaced with a Tablespoon of honey added in with the buttermilk)
½ tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup buttermilk (or more) (If no buttermilk, sour your milk with Lemon juice or Apple cider - or use kefir, if you have plenty on hand that needs to be used up)
Lightly beaten egg (optional)
Mix dry ingredients. Cut in 6 Tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. (E - I have grated the butter in before cutting it in with a fork, to good effect.) Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk, use regular milk. Mix until dough clings together and is a bit sticky—do not overmix.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and shape into a 6-8 inch round (or two smaller disks) about 1 ½ inch thick and cut into pie wedges. The secret of tender scones in minimal handling. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, being sure the sides of scones do not touch each other. Brush with egg for a beautiful brown scone. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes, or until light brown.
Taken from If Teacups Could Talk by Emily Barnes, with edits.
