Teatime Scones

I fell in love with scones and cream when I first set foot on English soil back in 1976. It was my instant immersion into a tradition and a culture. Cream teas have an old-fashioned quality; it is a moment where mobile phones, and virtual life come to a stand still.  To savour and relish scones, serve them warm with cream and jam and a perfectly brewed pot of tea.

Ingredients

• 225 g flour
• 70 g unsalted butter
• 50 g caster sugar plus little extra for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 120ml whole milk plus a little extra for the glaze

Method

1. One hour before, take the butter out of the fridge to let it soften.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
3. Put flour and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly.
5. Mix in the sugar.
6. Make a well in the middle of the crumble and pour the milk a little at a time while you blend it into the flour mixture. If you find that the dough is becoming wet, do not use up all the milk.
7. Lightly knead the dough on a cold work surface such as a marble slab for 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Divide into four equal parts and roll each into a sausage-like shape about 4cm thick.
9. With knife cut into 4 cm rounds and arrange them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Leave 4 cm gap between each.
10. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the scones with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
11. Bake for 12 minutes or until the top and bottom of  the scones turn to golden brown.