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Saltbush scones and desert lime marmalade

For easy, foolproof scones with a tender crumb, try these lemonade and cream scones – no rubbing of butter required! Add a native Australian twist with some saltbush and a desert lime marmalade to serve.

Saltbush scones & desert lime marmalade

Credit: Jiwon Kim

  • makes

    12

  • prep

    20 minutes

  • cook

    1 hour

  • difficulty

    Mid

makes

12

serves

preparation

20

minutes

cooking

1

hour

difficulty

Mid

level

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Ingredients

For the desert lime marmalade
  • 8 Seville (or bitter) oranges, boiled whole until tender
  • 2 lemons, boiled whole until tender
  • Juice of 4 Seville (or bitter) oranges
  • 1.75 kg caster sugar
  • 200 g fresh or frozen desert limes
For the scones
  • 600 g self-raising flour
  • 18 g ground dried saltbush
  • 360 g thickened cream
  • 240 g lemonade
  • Plain flour, for dusting
To serve
  • Whipped cream, freeze-dried desert lime or sunrise lime powder
Standing time: 10 minutes.

Instructions

  1. To make the desert lime marmalade, halve the boiled citrus fruit, scooping out the flesh (removing pips) and roughly chop. Thinly slice the rinds.
  2. Combine the juice with 400 g caster sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat until it forms a thick syrup. Remove from the heat.
  3. Add the remaining sugar to a large saucepan with 360 g water. Brush the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals. Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook to 116°C. Add the orange syrup and bring to 112°C. Add the chopped fruit and rinds and cook for 10 minutes, until translucent. Stir through the desert limes and remove from the heat. Leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow the syrup to really penetrate without overly candying the fruit.
  4. Place a saucer in the freezer (you’ll use this to test the marmalade’s setting point). Return to the boil for about 2 minutes, then test the setting point by placing a teaspoon of marmalade on the cold saucer from the freezer and running your finger through it. If your finger leaves a clean line without the marmalade running into the middle, it’s ready. If it’s still loose, continue cooking until you reach the right texture. Remove from the heat and transfer to a jar and keep refrigerated.
  5. To make the scones, sift the flour into a large bowl, then stir through the saltbush. Pour over the cream and lemonade and gently fold using a spatula to a thick, sticky dough.
  6. Preheat the oven to 195°C (175°C fan-forced). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  7. Generously dust a clean working surface with plain flour and dust the top of your dough. Turn the scone dough out onto your bench, flour the dough again, then gently press out to a rectangle, around 2.5 cm thick.
  8. Dip a 7.5 cm round biscuit cutter into the plain flour before using to cut out the scones, then transfer to the prepared tray, ensuring the scones are lightly touching. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
  9. Serve the scones with desert lime marmalade, whipped cream and a dusting of lime powder.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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Cooking and conversation are a bridge to understanding people and their culture. On The Cook Up with Adam Liaw his guests - world renowned chefs, entertainers, sports and social media stars - prepare food, eat, laugh and give us a glimpse into their lives.
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Published 30 March 2025 12:15pm
By Christopher Thé
Source: SBS



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