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braai scones fresh from the oven in a dark muffin tin, golden cheese tops, one split open with butter beside it in an Australian kitchen

Braai scones (skon broodjies)

Savoury cheese and olive scones baked in a muffin tin. No yeast, no kneading and no rising time: mayonnaise does the work of butter and egg, so the dough comes together in one bowl with a spoon.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Servings: 9 scones
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups self-raising flour or 2 cups plain flour sifted with 3 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt Australian self-raising flour has none in it
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • ½ cup tasty cheddar, grated, plus extra for the tops grate it yourself; pre-grated does not melt as well
  • 8 black olives, pitted and chopped kalamata or plain black, drained well
  • 4 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise a tangy one, not a sweet salad dressing
  • 1 cup milk
  • paprika or cayenne, for the tops
  • butter or oil, for the tin

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 220 C, or 200 C fan-forced, and grease a twelve-hole muffin tin well, even a non-stick one.
  2. Stir the flour, salt, sugar, grated cheese and chopped olives together in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk the mayonnaise and milk together in a jug until smooth.
  4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spoon only until the dry flour disappears. The dough should look rough and sticky, not smooth.
  5. Spoon the dough into the tin, filling each hole about two thirds. You should get eight or nine.
  6. Scatter a little extra cheese over each one and dust with paprika or cayenne.
  7. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, without opening the door for the first ten, until risen and deep golden on top.
  8. Turn them out onto a rack and serve warm, split with butter.

Notes

Quantities are our working version, adjusted for Australian flour and cheese. Australian self-raising flour has no salt in it, so the half teaspoon matters. Fold only until the dry flour disappears; a smooth dough makes tough scones. Best in the first half hour out of the oven, and they freeze well for a month.