Perfect for a cosy afternoon tea treat – these delicious scones from the queen of baking Mary Berry are both quick and easy to make and require just six ingredients
Is there anything more quintessentially British than a steaming hot tea paired with a delicious scone smothered in clotted cream and strawberry jam?
The mere thought of sinking your teeth into a crumbly yet scrumptious scone is enough to get your mouth watering. And while you could easily pick up a few scones from your local shop or supermarket, there’s something truly special about baking your own.
As the legendary Mary Berry once said, “The secret of a good scone is not to have the mixture too dry and not to handle the dough too much.” With just six ingredients required, here’s a simple recipe to whip up Mary Berry’s “special scones” in no time, reports the Express.
Special scones recipe
Preparation time: 12 to 15 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Makes: 10.
Ingredients
- 225g self-raising flour
- One tsp baking powder
- 50g butter
- 25g caster sugar
- One large egg
- Milk
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7 and lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, then add the butter and rub it in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
3. Crack an egg into a measuring jug, beat it lightly, and top it up to 125ml with milk.
4. Add most of the egg and milk mixture to the flour, reserving one tablespoon for glazing the scones before baking. Mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it gently, and roll it out to a thickness of 1.25cm. Use a fluted 8cm cutter to create 10 scones.
6. Place the scones on the baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Brush the tops with a little milk and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until they’re a pale golden brown.
7. Remove the scones from the baking sheet and let them cool on a wire rack. And voila! Ten scrumptious scones ready for a dollop of clotted cream and jam – but which goes on first?
The Cornish way is to slather the scone with jam before crowning it with clotted cream. On the other hand, the Devon tradition flips this around – smearing the clotted cream onto the scone first, then layering it with luscious jam.