Classic Scones

Makes 10 servings

1¾ cup flour (plus more for

shaping and cutting) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ stick (4 tablespoons)

unsalted butter, cut up

Instructions: Tip the flour into a mixing bowl; whisk in the sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Mix in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it’s a little bit flaky. Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the cream to slacken it. Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture with a soft spatula, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding a little back in case it’s not needed. Using the spatula, gently work the mixture together until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough. Work in any loose dry bits of mixture with the rest of the buttermilk. Don’t overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough. Lift the ball of soft dough out of the bowl and put it on to a very lightly floured surface. Knead the mixture just 3-4 times to get rid of the cracks. Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of 1 inch. Dip a 2-inch round fluted cutter into a bowl of flour; cut out the scones by pushing cutter down quickly and firmly into the dough with your palm — don’t twist it. You will hear the dough give a big sigh as the cutter goes in. Gather the trimmings lightly; pat and cut out a couple of more scones (these won’t be as pretty).

Set scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until risen and golden, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops or covered loosely with a cloth for soft ones. Serve warm with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Cornish people put jam first, then cream, Devonians the other way round. Americans may want to substitute whipped cream or crème fraîche.