Classic scones with jam & clotted cream (2024)

KNOW-HOW

Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the milk sours it slightly, mimicking sharp-tasting buttermilk, often used in scones but sometimes tricky to find. The slightly acidic mix gives a

boost to the raising agents in the flour and baking powder.

JANE SAYS...

Scones are so quick to make that my mum would often emerge with a plateful before we’d even noticed she’d gone! I’ve borrowed her tip of using warm milk, and added a few tricks of

my own for light scones that rise every time

TOWERING TALL

For toweringly tall scones, always pat the dough out a bit thicker than you think you should. I say pat rather than knead because scones are essentially a sweet soda bread and, like other soda breads, will become tough when over-handled. Kick-start the scones’ rise with a hot baking tray and don’t leave the dough sitting around. If you like your scones with lots of juicy fruit, stir 85g plump sultanas into the mix at the same time as the sugar.