Classic Scones with strawberry jam and cream

If you are going to have a British afternoon tea then you need Scones. Plain or fruity, cheese or cherry Best served still warm from the oven, scones are a classic teatime treat that are easy to make. In fact of all the cakes in the world scones are probably the easiest to make full stop.

You will need

450g/1lb white flour

5 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
75g/2¾oz caster sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
135ml/4¼floz milk
250g/9oz strawberries jam
Butter, to serve
400g/14oz clotted cream

Now to bake them you need a nice hot oven so preheat it set at 220c/425f then get to making your scones.

Start by sifting the flour in to a bowl among with the baking powder. Add a pinch of salt and the sugar then the butter diced nice and small. This will make it easier to work in to the flour to make a bread crumb and you will not get the fat to hot with your hands.

Now beat the two eggs in to the milk, then a little at a time add this to the flour. Work it altogether till you have a nice smooth dough. Then just let it sit for a few minutes on the side before you roll it out.

Now to get you classic depth to the scone you need to roll them out to 2cm or ¾in thickness with a 5cm or 2in width. Just roll the mix out gently on a floured surface and cut them using a pastry cutter of the right size.

Now how you cut out your scones is important if you just cut down you restrict how the edges of the scone will rise so follow this method and you should be alright. To help stop you cutter from sticking to the dough and dip the cutter in some flour and then with one sharp tap down cut through the dough. Do not twist the cutter as you cut. Then reroll what is left and cut again till you have no dough left.

Place the scones on a baking try, add some water to the egg yolk and glaze just the very tops of the scones.Now all you have to do is bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes until golden-brown. Take out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire.

Now if you are going to have them at their very best you want them still a little warm with as sliced in half and filled with as much cream jam and butter that you dare have. Or if in season try with just fresh strawberry’s even better.