Scones With Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

11

There are few things more quintessentially British than a fluffy scone with homemade strawberry jam, and these royal wedding-worthy cakes can be whipped up with just five ingredients. The trick to perfect scones is to make sure the eggs, butter and milk are all cold, as that makes the resulting texture wonderfully flaky. Once the scones are golden and cooling, why not try making your own jam rather than reaching for the shop-bought variety? The natural sweetness of the fresh strawberries and the floral notes of the vanilla results in a more full-bodied flavour. However you pronounce them – and whether you insist that the jam or the cream goes on first – these scones are sure to keep everyone happy.

Ingredients

For the jam
900 gram (2 pound) fresh ripe strawberries, hulled
900 gram (2 pound) caster sugar
75 millilitre (3 fluid ounce) lemon juice
1 Vanilla Pod
For the scones
200 gram (7 ounce) self-raising flour
50 gram (2 fluid ounce) butter
25 gram (1 fluid ounce) sugar
1 egg
A little milk

Instructions

1 In a large bowl, crush the strawberries then transfer to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
2 Split the Vanilla Pod, and scrape out the seeds. Add to the strawberries with the empty Vanilla Pod.
3 Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring often until the mixture reaches 110°C, 225°C, hold at this temperature for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time.
4 Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1cm or ½ inch headspace and seal.
5 Refrigerate the jam after cooling.
6 Pre-heat the oven to 190°C, 375°F Gas Mark 5.
7 Rub the flour and butter together until it resembles fine bread crumbs.
8 Add the sugar, and rub in with the flour and butter. Make a well in the centre and add the egg and a little milk to form a light dough.
9 Roll out the dough to about a 2.5cm (1) thickness, cut out round circles and place the scones on a lightly greased baking tray, (this should be enough dough for 12 scones) bake for 10 minutes in the middle of the oven.