These light, buttery scones are even more delicious with clotted cream and strawberry and rhubarb jam. Afternoon tea anyone?
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) plain flour
- 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼tsp salt
- 45g (1½oz) unsalted butter
- 1tbsp golden syrup or golden caster sugar
- Roughly 185ml buttermilk or soured cream
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/gas mark 6).
Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and the salt then rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and add the syrup or sugar and enough buttermilk to make a soft but not sticky dough.
Pat or roll out, on a floured surface, to a thickness of 1.5cm thick. Use a 5cm biscuit cutter to stamp out rounds. Lay on a floured baking sheet, and brush the tops with a little milk.
Bake for about 10 mins until well risen and lightly browned. Serve warm, with clotted cream (or butter) and jam.
Top tip for making Sophie Grigson’s buttermilk scones
When buying a rolling pin, go for the widest, heaviest one you can find - they make rolling pastry out much much easier. The new silicone coated ones are particularly useful when working with a really rich short crust pastry.
