Buttermilk Cream Tea Scones with Seasonal Jam

Buttermilk Cream Tea Scones with Seasonal Jam 🍓🫖 Soft, golden scones with a tender crumb, cool cream and glossy berry jam. This is the kind of bake that feels special without being fussy: one bowl, cold butter, a light touch and a hot oven. Yield: 8 scones Time: 15 minutes prep, 12-14 minutes bake Ingredients: - 450 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting - 2 tablespoons caster sugar - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt - 90 g cold unsalted butter, diced - 250 ml cold buttermilk, plus 1-2 tablespoons more if needed - 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing - 200 g clotted cream, thick double cream or whipped mascarpone cream - 200 g seasonal berry jam - Fresh berries and mint, optional, for serving Method: 1. Heat the oven to 220C / 425F. Line a baking tray with parchment. 2. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few tiny butter flecks left. Those small flecks help the scones bake light. 3. Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a table knife or spatula just until a soft dough comes together. If dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl, add 1 tablespoon extra buttermilk at a time. Stop as soon as the dough holds. 4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat the dough to about 2.5 cm thick. Do not knead heavily. Cut rounds with a floured cutter, pressing straight down rather than twisting so the sides rise cleanly. 5. Lift the rounds onto the tray. Brush the tops with beaten egg, keeping the egg off the cut sides where possible. 6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until well risen, golden on top and light when lifted. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. 7. Serve just warm or at room temperature. Split each scone, add a generous spoon of cream and finish with seasonal jam. Add berries if you want the tea tray to feel extra bright. Serving and storage tips: - Best on the day they are baked. - To refresh later, warm the plain scones for 4-5 minutes at 160C / 320F. - Freeze unfilled scones once cool, then reheat from thawed before serving. - For a sharper finish, stir a little lemon zest into the cream or use blackcurrant jam. Save this recipe for a slow afternoon tea tray 🍓 #Tasteloom #CreamTea #Scones #TeaTime #EasyBaking