English Teatime Scones

My classic scone recipe, perfect for jam and cream, made tender with a tangy elixir of soured milk.

I’ve fallen in love with scones more and more as I’ve gotten older. The English scone tradition is really an excuse for an extended break, and I could do with more of those as time goes on. I’ve recently invested in a teapot, teacups and saucers and I use them at least once a week for a proper tea at home, and scones fit that whole setup very nicely. I’ve tried many approaches to scone-making over the years. It’s true, the colder the hands the better, but really the right recipe and the right steps make the real difference. This is my recipe I’ve stuck to the last few years, and even though I deviate sometimes in search of something better, I always default back to this one. The classic, up-market afternoon tea scones that you get at nice hotels will favour the dainty, perfectly round scones rather than truly flavourful ones. I like to think this one sits in the middle. Nicely formed yet buttery and flavourful. Instead of using buttermilk, I use a mixture of soured milk. The milk is merely soured with a dash of lemon juice, and this sourness affects the tenderness of the scone and acts as a conditioner for the crumb as it bakes. The result: a buttery, clam-like scone that easily cleaves in two, ready for cream and jam in whichever order you like. Let’s go!