Baking & Afternoon Tea · Devon & Cornwall

Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam

Name: Scones with Clotted Cream & Jam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: Makes 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 350g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 tsp baking powder; 85g cold butter, cubed; 3 tbsp caster sugar; 175ml milk, plus 1 tbsp to glaze; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp vanilla (optional); Clotted cream and strawberry jam, to serve

The cream tea at the centre of Britain’s politest war: Devon says cream first, Cornwall says jam. We take no sides — only seconds.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Yield: Makes 8
Difficulty: Easy
Era: Victorian tea ritual

Ingredients

350g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
85g cold butter, cubed
3 tbsp caster sugar
175ml milk, plus 1 tbsp to glaze; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
Clotted cream and strawberry jam, to serve

Method

Oven220°C425°FFan 200°CGas 7

Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C, gas 7). Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
Rub in the butter to fine crumbs; stir in the sugar.
Warm the milk slightly with the lemon juice, then cut it in with a knife to a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Pat out 4cm thick — never thinner. Cut rounds with a 6cm cutter, straight down, no twisting.
Glaze the tops only with milk and bake 10–12 minutes until risen and golden.
Split while warm and load with jam and clotted cream — in whichever order your conscience dictates.

Oven temperatures are given in Celsius, Fahrenheit, fan and gas mark throughout. Quantities are metric, as cooked and written in the UK.