Scones with Devonshire Clotted Cream & Strawberries

When I saw Equal Opportunity Kitchen was hosting an event for Tried, Tested & True food, I couldn’t wait to participate. I wanted to submit something that evokes memories from being a child right up to my present day. I wanted to submit something that is classically English and a recipe of mine that has been well and truly tried and tested for many years.

As a child my parents took the family to Devon for holidays. Devon is diverse in rolling hills of green pastures with Dartmoor National Park where you will find horses roaming with their foals, picturesque little villages and vales and seaside resorts like Torquay and also little sea coves, which are very scenic. One heat wave of a summer when my children were little, hubby and I spent a most charming holiday in Devon. We visited a most quaint little village called Widecombe in the Moor located within the heart of the Dartmoor National Park. It has a delightful village green where we found horses grazing with their foals and we spotted a little tea shop. We sat outside in the glorious sunshine at a table with a white crisp linen tablecloth and devoured greedily with glee, fresh baked scones served with Devonshire clotted cream and thick fruity strawberry jam, for refreshments English tea was served alongside. I have through the years recreated this most wonderful experience on warm sunny afternoons sat on my patio taking afternoon tea with my family. This is very quaint and typically English but a truly salivating decadent afternoon tea experience!

These scones are best described as, slightly sweetened with an outstanding soft light airy interior texture and served with glorious dollops of rich sublime clotted cream and fresh succulent ripened sweet strawberries. Now just watch for those drips of juiciness as you sink your teeth into pure heavenly delights should you try this recipe out yourself *giggle*.

My friends I have pleasure in sharing with you, one of my favourite of all time recipes. If you are unable to find clotted cream, whisked double cream is a good substitute. You can either use fresh strawberries as I have or use strawberry jam. The greatest tip for making scones I can give you would be, not to work the dough for too long or your scones will not be light and airy.

Scones with Devonshire Clotted Cream & Strawberries

Makes approximately 20 scones

Ingredients
500g (1lb 2oz) self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
100g (4 oz) butter
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Approx 425ml (¼ pint of milk)
A little milk for brushing the tops
A little caster sugar for sprinkling on the tops
For Serving
Clotted cream
Fresh ripe strawberries or strawberry jam
You will also need 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick paper, a circular cutter 5cm (2 in)

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/450°F/Gas mark 6

Sieve the flour and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub through with your finger tips and thumb until it resembles breadcrumbs. Now add the sugar and mix through gently. Add the eggs and enough of the milk to make workable dough. Turn out onto the work surface and lightly knead quickly into a ball shape. Roll out to thickness of 1cm (½ in) and stamp out with the cutter. Place onto the lined baking trays and lightly brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle over a little sugar. Place into the oven to bake for approximately 10 -15 minutes until golden. Place onto a wire rack to cool and serve with clotted cream, fresh strawberries or strawberry jam.

Note: You may have to lightly re-roll the dough mixture to make 20 scones. Try not to work the dough too much or the scones will become heavy and not a light and airy texture that is needed.