Scones
A traditional afternoon tea favourite, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. I’ve worked in several five-star hotels and, as far as I‘m concerned, afternoon tea is the best snack of the day – especially at Cliveden.
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 2 medium eggs beaten, plus 1 egg, beaten, for eggwash
- 75 gcaster sugar
- 30 g baking powder
- 75 g butter softened
- 230 ml milk
- 100 g sultanas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
- Line a baking tray.
- Put all the ingredients except the eggwash and sultanas into a food mixer and, using a paddle blade, mix for about 2 minutes on slow speed.
- If mixing by hand this will take about 5 minutes.
- Incorporate the sultanas into the dough and tip out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 5 cm/2 inches thick, then, using a round cutter, cut out the scones.
- (I normally use a 5–7. 5 cm/ 2–3 inch cutter for the hotel-size scone.)
- Put the scones on the baking tray and brush with the eggwash.
- If you’ve the time, chill the eggwashed scones in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking to help with a straight rise.
- Remove the scones from the fridge and brush the tops again with eggwash, being careful not to let it dribble down the sides as this will hinder their rise in the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool a little.
- Serve warm.
