Scones

British Cream Tea Scones

Lightly sweet, tender scones that split cleanly to hold a thick layer of clotted cream and strawberry jam — the centrepiece of a Devon or Cornwall cream tea.

Prep

15 min

Cook

12 min

Total

27 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •350 g (12 oz / 2¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
• •2 tsp baking powder, British double-acting preferred
• •40 g (1½ oz / 3 tbsp) caster (fine) sugar
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •115 g (4 oz / ½ cup) cold unsalted butter, European-style with higher fat gives a more tender crumb
• •180 ml (¾ cup) whole milk, plus 2 tbsp for brushing
• •1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar, soured into the milk for tenderness
• •1 jar strawberry jam, to serve
• •1 tub clotted cream, Rodda's or other authentic clotted cream; thick Greek yogurt or mascarpone are not traditional but passable substitutes

Steps

1. 1 Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C). Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. 2 Stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside to lightly sour for 5 minutes.
3. 3 In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips (or pulse in a food processor) until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces still visible.
4. 4 Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the soured milk. Mix gently with a knife or fork, adding the remaining milk only if needed, just until a soft, slightly sticky dough comes together — do not overwork.
5. 5 Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it out to about 2.5 cm / 1 inch thick, and stamp out rounds with a 5–6 cm / 2–2¼ inch cutter, dipping the cutter in flour between cuts to keep edges clean. Press scraps together gently and re-roll once.
6. 6 Place the scones on the prepared tray, close but not touching, and brush the tops with a little milk.
7. 7 Bake for 10–12 minutes, until risen, pale golden on top and lightly browned on the base; an internal temperature at the centre should read at least 95°C / 200°F. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
8. 8 Serve warm or at room temperature: split each scone with a knife or with your hands (pulling apart is traditional in Devon). Top with a generous spoonful of clotted cream and a spoonful of strawberry jam — Cornwall layers jam first, then cream; Devon does it the other way round.