Description
Light and fluffy, with just a hint of sweetness, fresh British scones are perfect for slathering with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 rounded teaspoons baking powder
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Roughly 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- Powdered sugar, for garnish
Extras
- Strawberry jam, to serve
- Clotted cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Sift the self-rising flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub in the softened butter, until it reaches the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
- In a 2 cup or larger measuring jug, beat the eggs together. Add enough whole milk to reach 1 1/2 cups. Whisk to incorporate.
- Set aside 1 1/2 tablespoons of the egg and milk mixture for brushing on the scones before baking.
- Add the remaining egg and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, and using your hands, very gently mix until just incorporated. The mixture will be slightly sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Dust your hands and the surface of the scone mixture with flour, and using your hands, very gently flatten the dough into a 1/2 to 1-inch thick disk. Don’t use a rolling pin to flatten the dough, as that can cause the scones to be too flat and dense. Cut out circles with a 2 1/2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter. Very gently work any extra bits back into a 1/2 to 1-inch thick disk, and cut additional circles with the biscuit cutter.
- Place the scones about 1 inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and brush with the reserved egg and milk mixture.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Be sure not to open the oven door during the first 10 minutes, as the loss of heat can cause the delicate scones to not rise properly.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool slightly.
- Dust with powdered sugar, and serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Recommended Equipment and Goodies
Buy Now → Notes
This recipe for scones comes to us from Cornwall. My friend, Debbie Thorpe, shared her tasty recipe with me for my upcoming cookbook.
These are not the heavy, triangular, sugar-bomb bricks that most people in the US think of when ordering a scone at their local coffee shop. No, these are light and fluffy, with just a touch of sweetness. They’re somewhat similar in look and texture to a southern-style biscuit and are perfect for slathering with clotted cream and jam.
The recipe calls for self-rising flour. I like to use the King Arthur brand. I’ve also played around with making my own, but tend to get inconsistent results. If you want to give making your own a go – the formula is 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon salt to each 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
Plan to make your scones just before serving. Scones are divine hot out of the oven and will keep well for several hours – but not much longer. Second-day scones are OK, but nothing like the delicious treats they are when first made.
Debbie, the recipe contributor, suggests that you can mix this recipe up by adding a handful of golden raisins, dried berries, or cranberries. Or for a savory scone, replace the sugar with 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of grated cheese.
- Category: Tea, Dessert
- Cuisine: British
