Who loves a cream tea? This Valentines Day I have treated my husband to homemade scones clotted cream, jam and fresh strawberries. Why not recreate these delicious scones – they don’t have to be for Valentine’s Day and you certainly don’t have to share them!

Ingredients

350g self raising flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

85g butter, cut into cubes

3 tbsp caster sugar

175ml milk, plus a little for glazing

1 tsp vanilla extract

squeeze lemon juice

40g of sultanas (this can be changed for glacé cherries or chocolate chips)

Method

1 Turn on the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the self-raising flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt salt, caster sugar and the baking powder, then mix.

2 Tip in the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs.

3 Heat the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds until just warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla extract and a squeeze of lemon juice, then set aside for a moment.

4 Line a baking sheet with baking paper and place in the oven – you may need to place something (ovenproof dish) on the baking paper to hold in place . Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife – it will seem pretty wet at first.

5 Sift some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Flour your hands and fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Roll out 2 – 4cm deep depending on how tall you would like your scones (I tent to do about 2cm). Take a cookie cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise). Push into the dough, then repeat until you have used all the dough. You may need to press what’s left of the dough roll again snd to cut out the final scones (try not to handle the dough too much or this can affect the rise).

6 Brush the tops with a little milk, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes golden brown top and well risen.

7 Eat just warm or cold generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to refresh.

How do you eat yours the Devon Way or the Cornish Way?

Devon split scone in half, smother in cream first then top with jam.

Cornwall split the done in half then smother with jam and top with cream.

Happy baking ❤️