← Nouns Cooking · British & Irish

Ingredients

• 350 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 pinch Salt
• 85 g cold butter, cubed
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 175 ml cold milk
• 1 Eggs, beaten, to glaze
• 8 tbsp strawberry jam
• 200 ml clotted cream (or whipped double cream)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F) and put a floured baking tray inside to heat up.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
3. Make a well, pour in the milk and mix with a table knife until it just comes together into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Stop as soon as there is no dry flour; overworking makes tough scones.
4. Tip onto a floured surface and pat it out 3–4 cm thick. Stamp out rounds with a 6 cm cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Gently press the scraps together once and cut more.
5. Put the scones on the hot tray, brush the tops with egg and bake for 10–12 min until well risen and golden.
6. Cool on a rack under a clean tea towel to keep them soft. Serve warm, split, with jam and cream; the order you add them is up to you.

Tips

• Cold butter, cold milk and a light touch are what make a tall scone.
• For fruit scones, stir in 60 g sultanas with the sugar.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Eats Olive Magazine