Traditional English Tea Time Scones With Jam and Cream

Eat these hot, split & spread with fresh churned butter, fresh cream and homemade jam, preferably strawberry........not forgetting to lick your fingers afterwards - discreetly! These always made an appearance on my Mum and Grandmother's Afternoon Tea Table....it's simply expected my dear! You can also add dried fruit to these to make traditional fruit scones, such as sultanas, currants and raisins; I have added that option in the recipe. The traditional English Cream Tea is very popular in the South West of England, especially in Devon and Cornwall - there you will be offered a pot of tea with fluffy warm scones, butter, cream and strawberry jam. In Devon, you will be served double Devon cream and in Cornwall, you will be offered clotted cream – that’s the main difference.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 3-4
• Yields: 6-8 Scones

Ingredients

• Plain Scones

• 8  ounces self-raising flour
•  salt, to taste
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 2  tablespoons caster sugar (superfine granulated)
• 2  ounces butter
• 1  egg, beaten and mixed with
• 1⁄4 pint milk
•  fresh  double cream, to serve (heavy cream)
•  jam, of your choice
•  butter, to spread

• Fruit Scones

• 2  ounces sultanas, raisins (optional) or 2  ounces currants (optional)

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and add the sugar and butter.
2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Gradually mix in the egg and milk mixture to make a dough, saving any excess to glaze the tops of the scones. Add your fruit at this stage if using.
4. Gently knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth.
5. Roll out the dough to about 1/2" thick, then cut out 2" rounds with a plain or fluted cutter, kneading and re-rolling the dough until it is all used up.
6. Arrange scones on baking sheets then brush tops with the milk and egg mixture.
7. Bake in the oven at 230°C (450°F) mark 8 for 10 to 15 minutes, until well risen and lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
8. Whip the fresh cream until stiff. Split the scones and fill with butter, jam and fresh cream.