Cheesy, corny sunshine scones recipe

These scones are a delicious cheesy treat, and just the thing to make with children, said Allegra McEvedy. As with all scones, keep the mixing to a minimum: that's what gives them their deliciously crumbly texture. Approach these scones with the lightest touch, and they'll repay you by looking like sunshine and tasting out of this world. Serve with butter.

Ingredients:

• 50g fine cornmeal, plus extra for dusting 
• 175ml semi-skimmed milk, plus extra for brushing 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for sprinkling 
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked, roughly chopped 
• few pinches of paprika
• pinch of salt 
• 50g cold unsalted butter, cubed 
• 150g frozen sweetcorn 
• 125g mature cheddar, grated 
• 30g parmesan, finely grated

Method:

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• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and sprinkle over a little cornmeal.
• Pour the milk into a mug and stir in the lemon juice, then leave for 5 mins. The acid in the lemon juice will make the milk sour and a bit lumpy, which doesn't sound great but makes the best scones.
• In a large bowl mix the flour, cornmeal, bicarbonate of soda, thyme, paprika and salt together. Then rub the butter into it using your fingertips until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sweetcorn and most of both of the cheeses, leaving a small handful of cheese to scatter on the tops of the scones. Make a well in the centre of the mix and pour in the lemony milk. Stir with a wooden spoon to make a slightly sticky dough, mixing as little as possible.
• Lightly flour the kitchen surface, tip the dough out, and knead it just a couple of times to bring everything together.
• Gently pat the dough into a 20x10x2.5cm rectangle. Dip the cutter in flour to stop it from sticking and press out 10 scones, as close together as possible. Then, pop them onto the lined baking tray. Scrunch the leftover dough together. Pat the dough into another smaller rectangle around 2.5cm high, and press out another five scones.
• Brush each scone with a little milk then scatter with the remaining cheese and a pinch of paprika. Bake for 12-15 mins or until the scones are risen and golden, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Cool for 5 mins on a wire rack then break open and slather with butter – a perfect mouthful of golden sunshiny goodness.

Taken from Chefs Wanted! More Than 40 Delicious Recipes for Curious Cooks by Allegra McEvedy, published by DK at £16.99. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £16.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

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