Kumara scones with beetroot jam

Makes 16

Ingredients
* 225g self-raising flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp sugar
* 45g unsalted butter
* 1 cup cooked mashed sweet kumara
* 150ml buttermilk
* Beetroot jam, to serve (recipe follows)
* Creme fraiche, to serve
* Thyme leaves, to garnish
Beetroot jam*
* 15g unsalted butter
* 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
* 110g thinly sliced onion
* 150g raw beetroot, grated
* 2 dried chillies
* 1 tsp thyme leaves
* 1 tbs caster sugar
* 2 tbs sherry vinegar


Method
1. To make the beetroot jam, melt the butter and oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion, beetroot, chilli and thyme and sweat over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar and continue to cook for 20 minutes until thick and jammy. Remove chillies and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C.
3. Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips until you have fine breadcrumbs. Add the kumara and enough buttermilk to make a smooth and slightly sticky dough - don't overwork. Transfer onto a lightly floured workbench and roll out to 1.5cm thickness. Use a 5cm scone cutter to cut out about 16 scones.
4. Place on a lightly greased and floured baking tray, brush with any remaining buttermilk and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
5. When ready to serve, break in half and top with beetroot jam and creme fraiche and garnish with a small thyme leaf. Leftover scones can be frozen.

Notes & tips
* You can make the beetroot jam ahead of time; it will keep for 1 month, refrigerated, in sterilised jars.

Source
delicious. - Page 146
Recipe by Valli Little