1 cup (100 g) flour
1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 tbsp (30 g) butter
1 tbsp (15 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) milk + extra milk for glazing
Preheat the oven to 450° F (225° C).
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Rub in butter. Add sugar. Add the milk and mix with a knife until obtaining a soft, not sticky, dough.
Turn the dough on to a lightly floured board and knead it quickly until it is smooth.
Roll out the dough to about ½ inch (12 mm) thickness. Cut 16 rounds with a 2-inch fluted cookie cutter and transfer them to a buttered cookie sheet. Brush the tops with milk.
Bake towards top of the hot oven for 8–10 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.
8–10 minutes
Cool on a wire rack.
Serve tea scones with butter, whipped cream, and jam.
- •Raisin scones: add 1–2 tbsp raisins with the sugar.
- •Lemon and raisin scones: add 1 tsp finely-grated lemon peel and 1–2 tbsp raisins with the sugar.
- •Orange and cherry scones: add 1 tsp finely-grated orange peel and 1–2 tbsp finely chopped candied cherries, washed and dried, with the sugar.
- •Date and walnut scones: add 1 tbsp finely-chopped dates and 1 tbsp finely-chopped shelled walnuts with the sugar.
- •Cinnamon scones: sift 1 tsp cinnamon with the flour.
- •Ginger scones: sift ½ tsp ground ginger with flour.
- •Honey scones: use 1 tbsp honey and reduce the ½ cup milk to 7 tbsp.
- •Chocolate chip: mix in 2 tbsp chocolate chips