Scones

In my world, no better vehicle than the scone has been invented for conveying vast amounts of cream and jam into one’s mouth. Hugely filling but somehow dainty looking, the scone is the pinnacle of any tea.

This is a great recipe and works just as well with or without the sultanas. My ten year old nephew (The Boy Wonder) made these with minimal supervision and you can see from the picture just how beautifully they came out:


Here they are in a basket waiting to be creamed and jammed:


Some people get quite het up about whether the jam or cream should go on first. Personally, I like the jam to go on first and then pile on the clotted cream:


The Boy Wonder did a magnificent job!


Ingredients:
450g self raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
100g unsalted butter
225ml whole milk
1 egg, beaten
75g caster sugar
75g sultanas (optional)

Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam

How to make:

- Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan oven 200°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.
- Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
- Stir in the sugar, and the sultanas if you are using them.
- Mix the milk and egg together and pour approximately two-thirds into the flour mix.
- Using a knife bring the dough together, adding more liquid if required. You’re aiming for a loosish ball of dough i.e. not a smooth pastry type dough.
- Using your hands bring the dough together into a ball.
- Roll out the dough between two pieces of greaseproof paper until it’s about 2cm thick.
- Using a 6.5cm round cutter, cut the scones out and put onto the baking sheet. You can put them quite close as they expand upwards rather than outwards. We got 14 scones and the dough re-rolls a few times.
- Use the remainder of the milk and egg mix to brush on top of the scones before baking.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the scones are risen and golden brown.
- Allow to cool on a rack and serve either warm or just cool with clotted cream and jam.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.