BRIGHT STAR + SCONES

Welp, I did not intend to become a weeping mess during this beautiful movie, but here we are. It’s based on the true romance of Fanny Brawne and John Keats and exquisitely shot.

Directed by: Jane Campion

Starring: Abbie Cornish and Ben Wishaw

Screenplay by: Jane Campion

Mr. Brown: “Good Irish Abigail, who never did fail to make a scone as good as a swan.” (If you want it to rhyme (or just sound fancy), pronounce ‘scone’ like ‘gone’ instead of ‘cone.’)

“I cannot exist without you - I am forgetful of every thing but seeing you again - my Life seems to stop there - I see no further.”

- John Keats (in a love letter to Fanny Brawne)

Scones (adapted from Paul Hollywood’s recipe: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/paul_hollywoods_scones_70005)

*I recommend using a food scale if you have one.

500g/1 lb. 1 oz. bread flour, divided, plus extra for rolling out the dough

80g/3 oz. softened, unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pans

2 eggs

5 tsp. baking powder

250ml/8 1/2 fl. oz. whole milk

For glazing the scones: 1 egg beaten with a little salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees (Fahrenheit). Lightly grease two baking sheets with butter and line them with parchment paper.

Put 450g/15 1/2 oz. of the flour into a large bowl and add the butter. Rub the flour and butter together with your fingers to create a breadcrumb-like mixture. Add the sugar, eggs, and baking powder. Using a wooden spoon, turn the mixture gently, mixing all the way to the bottom and incorporating all of the ingredients. Add half of the milk and continue mixing gently. Add the remaining milk a little at a time to form a very soft, wet dough (you may not need to add all of the milk).

Sprinkle most of the remaining flour onto a clean work surface. Tip the dough onto the work surface and sprinkle the rest of the flour on top. The mixture should be wet and sticky.

Use your hands to fold the dough in half, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat. Do this a few times until you’ve formed a smooth dough, being careful not to overwork it.

Adding more flour as needed, roll out the dough until it is about 2.5cm./1 in. thick. Using a 5cm./2in. round cutter dipped in flour, stamp out rounds from the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheets (don’t twist the cutter - just press firmly and lift up, then push the dough out). Re-work and re-roll the dough to cut out the rest of the rounds.

Let the scones rest on the baking sheets for a few minutes. Then brush the tops only with the egg/salt mixture.

Bake 15 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.