It’s time to channel your inner Londoner (or in this case Devoner) and have some tea with me while feasting on Devonshire Cream Scones.
In fact, it’s no secret that our home is obsessed with scones so we made a stop in London and embarked on a journey of afternoon tea. After a little research I found Giuliana Orme who is an expert on tea. I spent an afternoon with her learning everything I could about tea in her lovely home.
BACKGROUND
A cream tea is also known as a Devonshire tea, Devon cream tea or Cornish cream tea is taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream, and jam. The Devonshire (or Devon) method is to split the scone in two, cover each half with clotted cream, and then add strawberry jam on top.
TRADITIONAL CREAM TEA
- Scones are served warm (ideally, freshly baked).
- Clotted cream and strawberry jam.
- Butter is not included, and the tea should be served with milk.
Devonshire Cream Scones
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: English
Description
Preheat the oven – Conventional 425 Fahrenheit or 220 Celsiu
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 1/3 cup) of all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 level teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Egg
- Pinch of salt
- About 150 ml (2/3 cup) of milk (see directions on this)
- 60 g (1/3 cup) of soft margarine ( I used a margarine made from canola oil)
- 60 g (4 level Tablespoons) of white sugar ( I like to use castor sugar)
Instructions
Step 1
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl.
- Grease a baking tray, or use a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Add the egg into a liquid measuring cup and whisk it lightly. Next add enough milk on top of the egg so that it reaches the 200 ml mark (3/4 cup). Mix together lightly.
- Sieve the flour mixture into a large bowl. Rub the margarine in until it starts to resemble fine crumbs. Now stir in the sugar.
- Note, you will not use all of the egg/milk mixture, you should reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons. In the center of the flour make a well and a little at a time add the egg/milk mixture to the flour.
- With a fork begin to pull the flour into the well blending it together. Continue to do this until all of the flour is incorporated into egg/milk. This should produce a soft and slightly sticky dough. With the leftover egg/milk mixture (about a tablespoon or so) you will glaze the tops of the scones before baking.
Step 2
- Turn the dough on to a floured board and knead very lightly, just enough to remove any cracks. Using your hands, flatten the dough into a round pancake that is about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough. I used a 2 inch round scone cutter.
- Continue to cut out the scones and place them on your baking tray so that they almost touch to create soft scones, if you like them crustier place further apart.
- Brush the tops of the scones withthe remaining egg and milk mixture and bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and well-risen.
- After removing the scones from the oven bundle them on to a clean thick tea towel to keep them warm.
Notes
- Service Setup: I like to serve them with clotted cream and lemon curd (but to be traditional you would use a strawberry jam). You can find the clotted cream in your specialty cheese section and the lemon curd is usually by the jams.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
My favorite teas to serve are Lady Gray or Darjeeling with Devonshire Cream Scones. It’s such a treat to do this for someone. It adds to your friendships and is a nice experience for everyone. For more recipes check out afternoon tea recipes, tea sandwiches and Victoria Cake.
Devonshire Cream Scones and Clotted Cream
6 Comments
Chris @ Knead for Food
January 17, 2014 at 10:44 amNice scones. I use lemon curd as well and think it’s great.
BTW, your missing the egg in your ingredient list.
Carrie Pacini
January 17, 2014 at 10:53 amThanks Chris! It’s funny how you can read something 10 times and still forget to list something as important as an egg! It’s updated and thank you for the catch. Hope you try them out :)
Erin Johnson
January 22, 2014 at 5:45 pmI am having trouble finding true clotted cream in southern California. Any ideas as to where I can get some? Thanks!
Carrie Pacini
January 23, 2014 at 7:12 amI usually get a Jar of Clotted Cream from Wholefoods, they have it in the cheese section of the store. Ask someone for help as the jar does blend in and might not be that apparent to you. The one I use is by The Devon Cream Company, which you can also get on Amazon in the grocery section.
Cherie Rose Martin
October 28, 2016 at 11:54 amLove this! I’m a cream tea fanatic. I fell in love with it after living in Devon for half a year. Great post!
Carrie Pacini
December 28, 2016 at 10:38 amThanks Cherie!