Classic scones with jam and cream

Scones are as quintessentially British as the Queen, Coronation Street, tutting, and the Hollywood Handshake. Whether you slather yours in clotted cream or dollop strawberry jam on first, this baked treat is divisive, delicious, and easy to make. 

We've made ours with sultanas because they're superior in our opinion, but leave them out if you're not a fan. You can also swap out for something else like dried cranberries!

If you've never made scones before? Here are some top tips to get started. 

Cold butter is essential

Your butter must be cold. If it's not, you might end up turning that flour mixture into a doughy paste instead. We always cube ours. This makes it much easier to rub into the flour to get that breadcrumb-like mixture you require.  

Buttermilk is better than regular milk

Using regular milk to make scones is absolutely fine, but if you want to add next-level flavour, try buttermilk instead. Buttermilk adds a lovely tanginess to scones.  

Don't overwork the dough

It's super easy to overwork dough, but doing so can over-develop the gluten which will make the finished scone incredibly heavy and not very nice to eat. Keep the amount of mixing and handwork to a minimum. 

Be speedy

Once your dough is made, it's time to get your circular scones stamped and into the oven pronto. Why? Well, the raising process pretty much begins once the ingredients are combined, and you want them to rising nicely in the oven. Basically, don't leave your dough sitting on the side. 

Get the right thickness

The optimum size of your stamped-out dough is 1" in thickness. When looking at your thumb, this is equivalent to the length of your top knuckle to the tip of your thumb.