CHEDDAR AND MUSHROOM SCONES

Ingredients 

• Olive oil
• 250g chestnut mushrooms
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 thyme sprigs
• 350g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 115g unsalted butter
• 200g cheddar
• 170g Greek yoghurt
• 55ml water
• 30g parmesan

Method 

1. Put the butter and cheese in the freezer while you cook the mushrooms. This will help create flaky layers in the scones.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and once hot, add the sliced chestnut mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes until they have lightly browned. Then add the garlic and thyme and cook for a couple more minutes until golden and fragrant.
3. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the baking powder, cayenne, salt, pepper and mix. Grate the lightly frozen butter and cheese into the bowl, add the mushrooms and mix with your fingers, until the butter, cheese and mushrooms are covered in flour.
4. Mix the Greek yoghurt and water together in a jug. Add to the flour bowl and mix with a spatula, then use your hands to press it into a shaggy dough.
5. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface and press into a circle. Cut the dough in half, put one piece of dough on top of the other and press down again, creating lots of layers. Repeat the process 4 times before moulding the dough into a 2-centimetre-thick rectangle.
6. Leave to rest in the fridge for 5 minutes. Then cut into 8 scones, brush with Greek yoghurt, and grate over a layer of parmesan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.