Mrs Press’s Yorkshire Scones

Scones with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam. Clare’s collection of vintage china sit on a gorgeous hand embroidered piece of lace discovered at le puces in Paris.

Notes

Light and fluffy, this delicious scone recipe is best served warm straight from the oven, as Clare suggests, by your maid if your lucky!

This is the last recipe and illustration of our collaboration for Downton Abbey, I do hope you have enjoyed taking tea with The Crawley’s!

Ingredients – makes approx 12

1 2/3 cup self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1 cup milk
milk or whisked egg yolk for glazing
clotted cream and strawberry jam to serve

Preheat the oven to 220C and grease a baking tray. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and salt together. Cut the butter into the flour then rub in lightly with your finger tips til the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the milk and bring the dough together with a butter knife. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead slightly. Be careful not to over work the dough, the less you handle the dough the lighter the scone will be.

With the heel of your hand, flatten out the dough to 2cm thick then stamp out rounds with a scone cutter or a glass dipped in flour. Place the rounds on the prepared tray, just touching, glaze the tops with milk or egg yolk then bake for 8-10min until well risen and golden.

Serve warm from the oven with a side of cream and jam accompanied by your favourite steaming cup of earl grey.

Traditional Scones The Tea Room QVB

I love how The Tea Room uses the beautiful and instantly recognisable classic pattern of Royal Albert’s Moss Rose, a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Notes

Mum and I recently donned our finest and headed out for High Tea at The Tea Room in the Queen Victoria Building. It was a fabulous, grand affair and we toddled away very content from the feast we were served perfectly accompanied by the French bubbles and steaming loose-leave tea.

Upon my request, the lovely kitchen of The Tea Room were kind enough to share with The Art of Afternoon Tea their much coveted traditional scone recipe. They were the highlight of my dining experience and were it not considered gluttonous, I could have eaten a whole plate of them spread wickedly with clotted cream and lashings of strawberry jam. Scrumptious!

Ingredients – makes 22

6 cups self raising flower
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
220g cold butter – cubed
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
extra plain flour for dusting
strawberry jam and clotted cream to serve

Preheat oven to 160C and lightly grease 2 baking trays. In a large bowl sift the flour and baking powder, add the salt and butter cubes then using your finger tips rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Create a well in the centre and add the buttermilk. Using a butter knife, stir the mixture bringing together to form a loose dough.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Knead gently until smooth (being careful not to over work the dough as it will result in a tough scone). Pat the dough into a 2cm thick round then using a 7cm cookie cutter cut rounds, reshaping and bringing the scraps together until all the dough is used.

Place the scones on the prepared trays spacing 2cm apart and sprinkle lightly with flour. Bake for 20-25min until golden and well risen. Transfer to a wire rack, best served warm.

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

The first of my NYC finds.. This beautiful Royal Albert ‘Lorraine’ teacup and saucer was snapped up from an op shop in the West Village. It is sitting on a vintage embroidered cotton doily.

Notes

A lovely twist on the classic scone and a tasty way to use the last of the summer blueberries in your baking this season. Eat warm from the oven spread with butter, heavenly!

Ingredients – makes 12

1 punnet blueberries
2 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup buttermilk at room temperature
60g butter chilled from the fridge, cut into cubes
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp extra milk for brushing
butter to serve

Preheat the oven to 220C. Grease and line a baking tray. In a large bowl sift the flour, sugar and salt then add the butter and rub with your finger tips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk and the blueberries then using a butter knife bring the dough together.

Dough should hold together well and not be sticky. If it is too sticky add a little extra flour until of a workable consistency. Be careful not to over work the dough too much otherwise it will result in a tough scone.

Lightly dust a surface with flour and push the dough out to 2cm thick. Using a 5cm cookie cutter or the top of a glass, cut rounds from the dough, reshaping the scraps until all the dough is used. Place on the trays spacing 3cm apart, brush the tops with milk and bake for 15-20min until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Classic Scones

My Grandmother's beautiful yellow Shelley teapot sits beside her Shelley 'Daffodil Time' teacup. The scones rest on a yellow Staffordshire 'Swinnertong' side plate.

Notes

A classic scone recipe is something every baker should have at the front of their flour dusted cooking files. This basic scone recipe can be dressed up or down as the occasion calls by adding whatever tickles your fancy…my preference is hot from the oven with lashings of strawberry jam and clotted cream.

Ingredients – makes 12

2 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup milk at room temperature
60g butter chilled from the fridge, cut into cubes
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp extra milk for brushing
strawberry jam to serve
clotted cream or thickened cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 220C. Grease and line a baking tray. In a large bowl sift the flour, sugar and salt then add the butter and rub with your finger tips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the milk then using a butter knife bring the dough together. Dough should hold together well and not be sticky. If it is too sticky add a little extra flour until of a workable consistency. Be careful not to over work the dough too much otherwise it will result in a tough scone. Lightly dust a surface with flour and push the dough out to 2cm thick. Using a 5cm cookie cutter or the top of a glass, cut rounds from the dough, reshaping the scraps until all the dough is used. Place on the trays spacing 3cm apart, brush the tops with milk and bake for 15-20min until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm with your favourite accompaniments.