Scones
My recipe for this is fairly old, so it's all in ounces. I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.
You will need:
8oz self raising flour
2oz butter
2oz sugar
2oz raisins or sultanas
4fl. oz milk
Rub the butter into the flour with your finger tips. Mix in the other dry ingredients, then slowly pour in the milk, mixing as you go. Stop when you've made a soft dough - you may not need all the milk.
Roll out on a floured surface until about 2cm thick, and cut into rounds. I should really have a non-novelty shaped cutter by now, but I don't so there you go. I used a glass instead. Brush the tops with egg wash or milk, and bake on a floured tray at GM7 (220 degrees) for 12-15 minutes.
Now in this instance I bought the clotted cream and jam to go with my scones, but I have made both of the accompaniments before so if you're feeling particularly intrepid you could make the whole affair from scratch. Behold:
Clotted Cream
You will need:
A pot of double cream.
Pour the cream into a heavy saucepan and heat slowly (without boiling) for half an hour. Let it cool in the pan, then stick in the fridge to chill. It'll be ready when a crust forms on the top. Spoon out into a container. The book I got this recipe from told me to 'discard the liquid left underneath the clotted cream', but I found no such liquid. So... keep an eye out for that, I guess?
Jam
You will need:
Equal parts strawberries and jam sugar (sugar with added pectin, available from most supermarkets)
Mash the strawberries and sugar together in a saucepan, then bring to a rapid boil for five minutes. Pour into a sterilised jar to store.
I know using jam sugar is a bit of a cheat, and looked down on by jam connoisseurs as it will often set the jam too firm. I am not a jam connoisseur, so I think I'm ready for this jelly.
Add whatever flavours you like to make it a bit more interesting - I've added crystalized ginger in the past. It can be a bit overwhelming if you bite into a large chunk, but I would still call it a success.
There you have it. Everything you need for a cream tea. A final word on etiquette; there is a long running debate on whether to spread the cream or the jam on first. The correct method is to not give a crusty shit. TTFN.
