Scones were part of the Queen’s daily tea service. They were served religiously each day, alternating between fruit scones or plain scones. This routine was so fixed that each Monday morning the head chef would call the senior weekend chef to find out what “flavor” to make, either fruit or plain.
While the Queen insisted on them as part of her tea, I suspect she didn’t actually like scones. I say that because she never, ever, ate them. Instead, at the end of her daily tea, the Queen would take a scone and crumble it onto the floor for the corgis. It seems the dogs quite liked them.
Don’t be put off though. These scones are really, really good. Served warm with lots of butter. they make an absolutely tender, crumbly treat. When they cool, split them in half and fill with strawberry preserves, clotted cream, or whipped cream. You will have no problem polishing them off.
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-fine granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup to 1¼ cups milk
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 beaten egg yolk for glazing
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in the butter and stir until the flour mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and add the beaten egg and about ¾ cup of milk. Add the raisins now if making a fruit scone. Bring the mixture together with a metal spoon, making sure you don’t overmix and toughen the dough. If the mixture seems dry and crumbly, add more of the remaining milk, but add it gradually. You want lightly bound dough that is neither too wet nor too dry.
2. Lightly dust a cutting board with flour, and roll out the dough to about 1 inch thick. Then, using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out about 16 scones and place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg yolk.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until scones are lightly colored. Serve hot or transfer scones to a cooling rack.
MAKES 16 SCONES