Plain Buttermilk Scones

Preheat your oven to 220 C. Have a baking tray handy. (I used to line it with grease-proof paper then I went through a stage of oiling it lightly. Now I do neither.)

Measure the flour and sugar into a large bowl, add the butter and toss it in the flour. Then quickly and gently rub the butter into the flour and sugar. You don’t need to take it to breadcrumb stage—a few larger pieces are not a problem.

Add the buttermilk and then using a table fork start to mix it in until you start to bring the mixture together in a ball. Some days this happens with no trouble at all but other days the mixture seems too dry and it’s clear it will never come together. If this is the case add the milk. Then put one hand in the bowl and start sweeping everything together, catching any loose bits from the bottom of the bowl. You don’t need to kneed you just push it all together. It should have formed into one clump and the bottom of the bowl should be reasonably clean looking.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour and drop the scone dough on top and pat it down slightly then top with a tiny dusting of flour. I don’t use a rolling pin, I just firmly pat the dough until it’s about 2cm thick. Then cut out the scones in your desired shape. I usually get 4 from the first cutting. Then I bring the scraps together trying not to knead them and cut out another 2. Then reshape again and cut out the last one.

Place the cut out scones on the baking tray and bake for 14 minutes.

Makes 7 generous coffee shop sized scones, or 14 small scones or 24 bite sized scones.