BUTTERMILK SCONES

These light and delicate, almondy scones are scrumptious freshly made and topped with jam and cream – clotted cream is de rigueur, for the classic English teatime treat –but they also freeze well.

350g gluten-free self-raising flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 100g ground almonds 115g butter 60g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 2 teaspoons almond extract About 1 cup buttermilk Milk, for glazing

Heat oven to 190°C. Put flour, baking powder and ground almonds in a mixing bowl and rub in butter with your fingertips. Add caster sugar and almond extract and mix in enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 2-3cm. Stamp out 12 scones using a 7.5cm fluted cookie cutter.

Arrange scones on a lined baking sheet so that they are a distance apart. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until scones are golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

These scones are best eaten on the day they are made but can be frozen and reheated before serving. Makes 12

Variations: Try adding 85g dried cherries, sultanas or chocolate chips to the scone dough (replacing the almond extract with vanilla extract).