Apple and cinnamon scones

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 14 minutes

Makes 8

Be sure not to overwork the dough for these – just pull everything together, so that it stays light. Serve with a good seasonal jam. London Borough of Jam do blackberry and bay or damson and black pepper, both delicious. If you can’t find buttermilk, use a mixture of whole milk and yoghurt, stirring them together.

INGREDIENTS

– 225g self-raising flour,

plus extra for dusting – ½ tsp baking powder – 50g butter, cold, cut

into small cubes

– 50g caster sugar – scant ½ tsp ground

cinnamon

– freshly grated

nutmeg – 1½ eating apples (I like tart ones such as Granny Smith) – 125ml buttermilk

METHOD

Heat the oven to 210C / 200C fan/gas mark 7.

Put the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl and add the butter. Rub the butter in with your fingers then add the caster sugar, cinnamon and some freshly grated nutmeg.

Peel and core the apples. Cut the flesh into small cubes and mix it in, then gradually add about 115ml of buttermilk (you might not need it all – you just need enough to bring the scone dough together).

Using a table knife, bring everything together until you have a ball – it shouldn’t be too wet. Tip it out on to a lightly floured work surface and gently press it into a circle about 3cm deep. Use a 6cm round cutter, dipping it it in flour before you press it into the dough, to stamp out the scones. Make a clean circle and lift the cutter – don’t twist it.

Put each scone on a non-stick baking sheet. When you’ve stamped out about six, gather up the leftover dough, handling it very lightly, and press it out to 3cm thick again. Stamp out the last two scones.

Paint all the scones with the remaining buttermilk and bake for 14 minutes. Leave to cool until warm rather than hot. Serve with butter, clotted cream and jam.