Best Banana, Date and Honey Scones

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Best Banana, Date and Honey Scones.  Scones are such a versatile and quick thing to make, whether sweet or savory.  These banana, date and honey scones were born from a spare over-ripe banana that I threw into my date scone recipe one day.

Pro tips:

  • Grate your butter to make it easier to rub in.
  • A grating of lemon zest is also nice.
  • For savory scones swap out the banana, dates, honey and sugar with grated cheese, finely chopped onion and parsley.

Makes 6-8 good sized scones



Ingredients

3 cups plain flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

50gms butter 

1 cup chopped cooking dates

1 ripe mashed banana

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey (runny or melted)

Dash of salt (about 1/4 tsp)

Extra flour for kneading and rolling


Method

Heat oven to 450f/230c.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.  Add grated or cubed butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until there are no lumps.  Add brown sugar, mashed banana, liquid honey and chopped dates.  Add milk a bit at a time and mix through using a table knife until all the flour is mixed in. The dough should be thick and 'creamy'. Don't 'beat' the mixture.

Mix the dough using a table knife


Tip onto a well-floured cold surface and give dough a quick knead with some extra flour on top to stop it sticking to your hands while shaping into a long roll. Alternatively, roll it out in a thick, flat piece.

Cut the roll into good sized slices, or use a serrated round or square cookie cutter to make your scone pieces, reforming the remaining dough until it is all used

Place on a buttered oven tray and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove tray from oven.  Use fish slice to lift scones onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm or cold with butter or margarine.

Also good cold-buttered, wrapped and frozen for lunches.