Scotland's Favourite Bake

Scotland can lay a genuine claim to the scone. They've been part of Scottish baking since at least the early 1500s, originally made from oats or barley and cooked flat on a griddle over an open fire. The word itself is thought to come from the Dutch "schoonbrood", meaning fine bread, which arrived in Scotland through the old trade routes of the North Sea. Over the centuries the recipe shifted, wheat flour came in, ovens replaced the girdle, and the scone we know today took shape. It's not a recent invention dressed up in nostalgia. It's genuinely old.

You'll find them in every cafe from Inverness to the Borders, usually sitting under a glass dome beside a pot of jam and a dish of clotted cream. In Scotland the word rhymes with "gone", not "tone", and if you say it wrong in a tearoom in Perthshire you will almost certainly be corrected, politely but firmly.

Getting Them Right

The biggest mistake people make with scones is overworking the dough. Once the liquid goes in, you want to bring everything together quickly and stop. The more you knead and press, the tougher the scone. Treat the dough gently and it will reward you. Cold butter is important too. You want distinct little pieces of fat running through the flour, not a paste. Some bakers use their fingertips, others use a grater to shred the butter straight from the freezer. Either works.

Self-raising flour does most of the heavy lifting here, but a little extra baking powder gives the scones a better rise. Don't roll the dough too thin. Aim for about 2.5cm before cutting, and press your cutter straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and stops them rising evenly. When you place them on the tray, they should be touching or very close together; this actually helps them rise upwards rather than spreading out sideways. One egg wash on top before they go in the oven gives you that golden colour without making the top too hard.

Serving Suggestions

Warm from the oven is best, full stop. Split them by hand rather than cutting with a knife. Butter first, then jam, then cream if you're going the full afternoon tea route. Whether you put the jam or the cream on first is a debate best left to the English counties; in Scotland we're generally more relaxed about it. A good sharp strawberry or raspberry jam works particularly well alongside the slight sweetness of the scone. For something different, try them with heather honey and a slice of mature Scottish cheddar, which sounds odd and tastes brilliant. They also freeze well, just pop them in the oven from frozen at 180°C for about 10 minutes and they come back almost as good as fresh.

Ingredients

• 450g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 85g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 large eggs
• 150ml whole milk, plus extra for brushing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / Gas Mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper or lightly flour it.
2. Put the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt, and caster sugar into a large bowl and stir briefly to combine. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips, lifting the mixture and letting it fall to keep things airy. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Stop when the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs with a few slightly larger pieces still visible.
   
3. In a jug, beat one of the eggs with the milk and vanilla extract (if using). Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid all at once. Using a table knife or a round-bladed spatula, cut through the mixture to bring it together. As soon as it starts coming into a dough, use your hands to press it gently into a ball. It should feel a little sticky but not wet. If it is too dry, add another splash of milk, a tablespoon at a time.
   
4. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it out to about 2.5cm thick. Do not roll it or push it too hard. Dip a 6cm round cutter in flour and press straight down through the dough without twisting. Place each scone on the prepared tray. Re-press any offcuts together gently and cut more scones until the dough is used up.
   
5. Beat the remaining egg with a small splash of milk and brush this lightly over the top of each scone. Try to keep the egg wash on the top surface only and off the cut sides, or it can prevent the scones from rising evenly.
6. Place the tray in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the scones are well risen and deep golden brown on top. They should sound hollow when you tap the base. Transfer to a wire rack and leave for at least 5 minutes before serving. They are best eaten warm, split by hand, with butter, jam, and clotted cream.