Lelia Cocoman is a member of a Kerrygold farming family located in County Kildare, Ireland. Follow along in this special recipe complete with an excerpt from Lelia’s recipe notes and studded with tips and tricks (hint: measure in handfuls rather than exact portions) and begin a tradition of your own this St. Patrick’s Day.

Thoughts from Lelia’s Kitchen:

I never weigh (my ingredients), but as I’ve been asked now for the recipe, I have had to weigh my handfuls. A handful of flour is not the same weight as a handful of sugar. My handful will be different to yours!

Baking is an art form, not chemistry. It needs instinct, and taste, rather than accurate measurements.

No such thing as a bad cook. Practice…I can make scones with my eyes closed!

There is a relationship between me, my ingredients and my oven. I know all these very well. If I baked scones in my mother’s oven, there would be a different outcome.

The atmosphere (when baking) is important. Think well, bake well. Baking is therapy. If tired, or distracted, or anxious, you really have to get in the moment.

We love scones with Kerrygold Salted Butter and jam. Some people cut the scones, with a fork, rather than knife, so as not to interfere with the lightness. And why not add a spoon of whipped cream to top it off.

If they are not all eaten, they can be frozen, and enjoyed another time. The dry ingredients can be assembled, and stored in a zip lock bag, always ready, so it saves you time.

Kerrygold butter is a plain, natural, unprocessed product, with unmistakable flavor. Goodness springs to mind.

Instructions: 

1.  Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Put all dry ingredients into baking bowl.
3. Rub in the Kerrygold Salted Butter, with the fingertips, until spread through the mixture evenly, no lumps left.
4. Make a hollow in the mixture, and crack in the egg, followed by some of the milk, mixing with a spoon, and adding more milk, until the mixture has bound together, but is not too wet. If too wet, add a little more flour.
5. Flour the work surface, and turn the scone mixture on to it. Gently knead into a ball, and pat out into a circle, about 1 inch thick. Avoid over handling.
6. Cut into circles with a cutter (I have 6 different sizes, depending on who I am baking for –  ladies or farmers!).
7. Grease baking tray, and place scones in rows, leaving a little space between each scone.
8. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 25 mins.
9. When they are golden in color, they are done. They can sit in the tray for a few mins. with a tea towel bunched underneath to let air circulate, or place on a wire tray to cool

Recipe by Lelia Cocoman