Mary's tea time scones

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz self-raising flour
• 1 rounded tsp baking powder
• 40g/1½oz softened butter
• 25g/1oz caster sugar
• 1 large free-range egg
• about 100ml/3½fl oz milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (200C Fan).

2. Put the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

3. Beat the egg in a measuring jug. Make up to 100ml/3½fl oz with the milk, then set aside a tablespoon for glazing the scones later.

4. Gradually add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients, stirring it in until you have a soft slightly sticky dough

5. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and pat out until it is about 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 4cm/1½in fluted cutter to stamp out the scones. Make sure you don’t twist the cutter or the scones will not rise evenly.

6. Gently gather the trimmings together and pat out again to cut more scones

7. Arrange the scones on the greased baking trays and brush the tops with the remaining milk.

8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until well risen and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

9. To serve, cut each scone in half and top with strawberry jam and clotted or whipped cream.

Tips

Once the scones are cool, they can be frozen. To eat, defrost at room temperature and then reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes. The scone dough should be slightly sticky to give the best results. Don’t over handle the dough or it will be tough and don’t be tempted to roll it out too thinly or you won’t get good deep scones. For larger 5cm/2in scones, bake for 10-12 minutes.