Quick and easy scones recipe

Every time we make scones, it surprises us just how delicious the combination of crumbly dough, cream and jam can be and how easy it is to throw together such a classic indulgence. One of the many charms of a quick scone recipe is that you’ll likely have all you need on hand most of the time for whenever that melted butter and cream with jam urge arises.

Ingredients

Makes 8–10 scones

2¾ cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt (add a second if using unsalted butter)
2 Tbsp butter
180ml milk
1 egg

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC.  Then combine the flour with the baking powder and salt. If you wish to use self-raising flour, instead of cake flour simply leave out the baking powder and use the same quantity of self-raising flour.
2. Then add in the butter and mix it into the flour using your hands. You should end up with a slightly more crumbly, but still floury consistency.
3. Next, whisk the egg and combine it with your milk. Then gradually mix this in with your butter and flour mixture using a flat bladed knife or a pastry blender.  Make sure not to overwork your dough, this is a little known trick that will give you sky high scones instead of little flat rocks.
4. Prep a smooth work surface with a light dusting of flour and pat the scone dough to a thickness of about  2 cm, again making sure not to overwork the dough.
5. Using circular cookie cutters (or the round rim of a floured glass), stamp out your scones and place them onto a greased baking tray or on a Silpat baking mat. If you have a spare bit of dough left over after cutting, make yourself an extra tiny scone, that you can dunk into the butter and enjoy the minute it comes out of the oven. Perks of the baker.
6. Brush the top of your scones with a bit of milk using a pastry brush, pop them into the oven and leave them to bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Wonderful when devoured with whipped cream and jam.

Don’t forget grated cheese for that extra royal treatment and of course a steaming pot of tea.

With thanks to Rina van Velden for her recipe and styling.