Very British Scones

Here is a recipe for some very British scones, inspired by my visit to the beautiful St Ives last week. The recipe is largely based on a Delia recipe but using a thrifty buttermilk substitute. Delia reckons this makes 10, but having used this recipe a couple of times I've either made 6 large ones or (in this case) 12 smaller ones.

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour

75g butter at room temperature

40g golden caster sugar

1 large egg

2 tbsp buttermilk (or 2tbsp milk and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice)

Handful of raisins (optional and not Delia-approved!)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220℃/425℉/Gas Mark 7. Rub the flour into the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

2. Make up your buttermilk substitute in a cup and then beat the egg into the buttermilk using a fork. Pour the mix and the raisins into the bowl with the breadcrumb mix and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together.

3. Use your hands to bring together into a ball. Roll out on a floured surface to around 2.5cm thick. Cut out scones using a 5cm round cookie cutter and place on a greased and flour-dusted baking tray.

4. Lightly brush with buttermilk and then bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes until well-risen and golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

5. Serve with jam, clotted cream* and strawberries, preferably at a very British afternoon tea party

* I eat my scones the Cornish way (jam then cream), see here for an amusing article on the long-running debate between Devon and Cornwall about how scones ought to be served!