The Best Scones You'll Ever Taste!

These scones are the best we’ve ever tasted and are sure to go down a treat. You can have a batch of scones on the table in 20 minutes with this storecupboard recipe, perfect for unexpected guests.

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For our international friends, these are simple, DELICIOUS bready treats. You can make them plain, with dried fruit or even cheese- the options are endless. They're best made fresh and eaten warm but you can freeze them to use a different day.

This recipe is for sweet scones with sultanas. If you prefer you can leave the sultanas out or substitute with an alternative dried fruit. Traditional English cream tea consists of scones served with clotted cream, jam and a cup of English breakfast tea.

Ingredients

Makes 8 Scones

350g self-raising flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
85g butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp caster sugar
100g sultanas
175ml milk (we use full-fat milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract (it’s worth getting a premium vanilla extract)
A squeeze lemon juice
1 beaten egg, to glaze
jam and clotted cream, to serve (Beck loves raspberry jam, but if you’re wanting a traditional cream tea it’s a strawberry jam)

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2
Tip 350g self-raising flour into a large bowl with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder, then mix. Add 85g butter cut into cubes, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs then stir in 3 tbsp caster sugar.
Step 4
Put 175ml milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 20-30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.
Step 6
Put the tray with baking paper into the oven to warm up.
Step 7
Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife – it will seem pretty wet at first. Add the sultanas and mix in.
Step 8
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 1.5cm deep.
Step 9
Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
Step 10
Brush the tops with a beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 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.
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