Nici Wickes: The Public Office Café (Ngātea, NZ) Cheese scones - Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

A road trip is made by the food stops along the way I reckon and when I called into a café I’d long wanted to visit in Ngātea recently their scones blew me away! They were so darn delicious, moist (or as I like to say ‘damp’) and super cheesy. The owners, Sarah and Simon, kindly shared their recipe and top tips with me. 

Makes 6-8 scones 

Ingredients: 

- 1 ¼ cup tasty cheese, grated  - loosely packed 1 ¼ cup mozzarella, grated  
- loosely packed Extra cheese for topping  
- 2 ½ cups self-raising flour  
- Generous pinch of salt  
- 2 cups yoghurt 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 C fan bake. Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Bring the mix together with a large spoon. Once you have a big ball of mix and lots of dry bits on the bottom of the bowl, use your hand to push all of the dry ingredients into a wet ball. Turn out onto a floured bench and shape the mix into a 20x10cm rectangle, about 5cm high (you don’t want the mix to be too flat). 

Cut with a sharp knife or dough cutter into 6 large or 8 medium sized scones. Spread out on a baking paper lined tray and top generously with more grated cheese. (See note) 

Bake in a preheated (oven must be preheated!) for 15 mins for medium sized and 17mins for large sized. Cool slightly then slice and spread with loads of butter! Notes: 

• Replace the yoghurt with a can of sprite or soda water (335mls) which gives them a lovely crust
• Use 2 ½ cups of pizza blend cheese
• You want some of the topping cheese to spread down the side of the scones on to the tray so you get the really crispy bits on the edges.
• These scones also freeze well and are excellent to add to lunchboxes. They are good cold but if reheating are best reheated by slicing in half and toasting in the oven for a few mins.

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