DIY Cream Tea

Pre-heat your oven to 220°C (Gas Mark 7), and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Mix together the flour and salt, then add the butter and rub in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the sugar, then mix the milk in a little at a time, until you have a soft dough. 

Dust your work surface with a little flour, then tip the dough out and knead it lightly for just a few seconds. Gently press the dough out to a thickness of about 2.5cm, and use a 4-5cm round fluted cutter to stamp out your scones (be careful not to twist the cutter, as this can prevent the scones from rising during cooking). Put the scones on the greased baking sheet, then lightly knead together the rest of the dough and cut out more scones until you have used up all the dough.
Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg – if you don’t want to use egg, you can use milk instead, then bake in the centre of the hot oven for 12-15 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack while you make the quick strawberry jam.

To make the jam, tip the prepared strawberries into a large saucepan (for which you have a lid), together with the sugar and the lemon juice. Place over a low-medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring the pan up to a simmer. Put the lid on the pan and cook the strawberries for 3-4 minutes until they have become dark and syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat, then use a potato masher or fork to crush the berries a little. Leave to cool before serving (leftover jam can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks). 

To assemble your cream tea, slice the scones horizontally through their middles, then put them back together and place on a serving platter. Tip the jam into a serving dish, and spoon some clotted cream into a second serving dish. Take the scones, jam and cream to the table, together with a pot of freshly brewed tea and enough plates and cups for all your guests. Then, it’s just a matter of helping yourselves to the scones and spreading them liberally with jam and cream. (Which goes on first? You decide!)