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Buttery scones with boozy fruit mince

Fruit Mince Scones (Eggless)

Buttery scones with boozy fruit mince!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 scones
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Ingredients
  

For the fruit mince

  • 200 gms mixed dried fruit (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup whiskey/brandy/dark rum

For the scones

  • 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 85 gms cold butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup cold cream or whole milk (or a mix of both)
  • Optional: cream and sliced almonds for topping

Instructions

  • First make the mince. Place all the dried fruit in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a sharp blade and blitz till finely chopped, but not pasty. Tip into a saucepan and add the whiskey. Place on low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often until the mixture looks fairly dry and clumps together. Shortcut mince done! Let it cool completely to room temperature. You can use it immediately, or for a more intense flavour, refrigerate overnight in an airtight jar.
  • When ready to make the scones, preheat the oven to 220 C.
  • In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt, if using. Stir in the sugar.
  • Next, add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingers till you have a coarse, breadcrumb-like mixture.
  • Now add the fruit mince (if refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before using), and break it up with your fingers making sure it's evenly distributed.
  • Add the milk/cream and slowly bring the dough together with your fingers into one roughly-shaped mass, taking care not to over-mix or the scones will turn out tough.
  • Tip the dough out onto a silicone baking mat, and pat it into a roughly 3/4 inch thick circle. Slice into 8 triangles and place them at least two inches apart on a baking tray lined with another mat or non-stick baking paper. Brush the top lightly with cream and sprinkle some sliced almonds for extra crunch. If the dough has warmed up, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes before slicing into triangles.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 mins until golden-brown on top, rotating the tray halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. Transfer to a wire wrack to cool further. Drizzle salted caramel on top for extra fun! Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, then transfer to the fridge for about a week. Best eaten on day one but leftovers can be reheated. Happy baking!

Notes

*I used 100 gms candied orange peel and for the remaining 100 gms, a combination of raisins, dried cranberries and glace cherries. I bought the candied peel and cherries at Arife in Bandra. Also available at Crawford Market. Feel free to change up the dried fruit and add more or less or whatever you prefer, as long as the total amount is about 200 gms.
*If you want to make your own salted caramel to drizzle on top of the scones, see here.