Flaky Gruberg And Rosemary Scones

• 350 g   cake flour
• 2,5 ml  bicarbonate of soda
• 5 ml baking powder
• 5 ml salt
• 2,5 ml  freshly ground black pepper
• 120 g ice-cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 125 g Klein River Gruberg cheese, grated
• 10 ml chopped rosemary
• 1 egg
• 280 ml buttermilk
• Flour for dusting
• Egg wash for brushing
• 30 g melted butter for brushing
• OPTIONAL extra 50 g butter for brushing in between layers

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper.
3. Rub the cold butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces remain.
4. Gently fold in the grated Gruberg cheese and rosemary.
5. Keep the butter pieces visible — they are the key for flakiness.
6. Mix the egg with the buttermilk and add it to the dry ingredients – mix very gently to make the dough.
7. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Pat into a rectangle about 2–3 cm thick.
8. Fold into thirds, turn 90°, repeat 2–3 times.
9. Pat dough to 2,5–3 cm thick.
10. Cut the dough into squares and place – almost touching each other – on the tray.
11. Brush the tops with egg wash.
12. Bake ±15 min until golden and the cheese is melted.
13. Brush the scones with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.
14. Serve warm with butter and more Gruberg cheese.

·  OPTIONAL:  Dot an extra 50 g of butter thinly across the dough before folding