Afternoon tea scones

I know scones have been around for a long time but they’re pretty new to me. I once tried a very dry scone at a place that rhymes with barlucks. And I thought to myself „Really, so that’s a scone?“ I don’t like dry pastry so I parted ways with it on that day. This year I ordered a scone at a nice little café in London and oh lord, it was good. I wanted to go back to this café for an afternoon tea every day. Well that was a real scone I guess so I’m back in the game with this warm, doughy, lovely pastry. I missed it so much since coming back from London so I had to make my own at home.

Ingredients

• 350g self-raising flour, plus more for dusting
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g butter, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 175ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• beaten egg to glaze
• jam and clotted cream, to serve*

How to make Scones

• Heat oven to 200º celsius.
• Put 350g self-raising flour into a bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix.
• Add 85g butter cubes, then rub the butter in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Then stir in the caster sugar.
• Put 175ml milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot.
• Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven.
• Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife or with your hands, I prefer using my hands.
• Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
• Take a 5cm cutter (I just use a sharp water class because I don’t have a cutter but if you do, even better). You may need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 10-15 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. 

*I do not make the clotted cream myself. I’d say I have some good housewive qualities but this is a full-on-amish-style-butter-making process. I can’t.

Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture of your meal on Instagram with the hashtag #butterbunsandbasil

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