Ed Kimber’s Scones with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam

I was delighted when Ed chose scones as one of his Desert Island Dishes. Scones are the archetypal British tea-time treat: light, tender and with that irresistible melt-in-the-mouth quality that makes them so easy to overindulge in. They have a gentle “oh-go-on” charm that tempts you into having one more — and when else is indulgence at teatime more acceptable?

I adore every element of a classic afternoon cream tea. The small finger sandwiches — cucumber always on buttered white bread and egg mayonnaise always on brown, both with the crusts neatly removed — are a must. Cakes, too, are endlessly appealing, from cream cheese–frosted carrot cake to a simple coffee and walnut, or tiny cupcakes piled with buttercream. But a tea spread isn’t complete without scones. They’re quick to make and even better piled high with clotted cream and a generous spoonful of jam.

There is, of course, a long-standing debate about whether jam or cream goes on first — Devon prefers jam first, Cornwall slathers on the cream before the jam. I usually ignore the rivalry and focus on getting as much clotted cream as possible, often putting the cream on first. Whichever way you prefer, the choice is yours.

Most scone recipes follow the basic method of rubbing butter into flour and adding a little milk or egg to bind the dough. I take a different approach: because I firmly believe there can never be too much cream, these scones are made without butter or milk and use double cream as the primary liquid. The result may seem surprising, but these are among the lightest scones I’ve baked. They won’t be the tallest, but what they lack in height they more than make up for in texture and flavor. I’ve made this recipe repeatedly and can vouch for how delicious they are.

They’re simple to prepare — perfect for a weekend bake. Serve warm, with lots of clotted cream and jam, or enjoy at room temperature.

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• ▢ 200 g self-raising flour
• ▢ 50 g caster sugar, plus 15g extra for sprinkling on the top
• ▢ pinch salt
• ▢ 200 – 250 ml double cream
• ▢ 1 egg yolk

• Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F / Gas 7. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
• Sift the self-raising flour into a bowl — it may seem like an extra step, but sifting helps keep the scones light. Add the pinch of salt and the caster sugar.
• Pour in about 200 ml of the double cream and stir until the dough begins to come together. Add more cream, a little at a time, only if the mixture needs it to bind.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very gently — overworking will make the scones tough. Flatten or roll the dough to roughly 1 cm thick and use a 2-inch cutter to stamp out rounds. Gather any trimmings and gently press them together to make additional scones so no dough is wasted.
• Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each one with the egg yolk and sprinkle a little extra caster sugar on top.
• Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the scones have risen slightly and taken on a golden colour.
• Serve hot from the oven with plenty of clotted cream and jam, or enjoy them at room temperature.