Cream tea means afternoon tea, served with scones, clotted cream and jam. Clotted cream is a bit of a specialty item if you are outside of the UK, but it’s worth finding. It’s thick, heavy, spreadable cream. Look for it in very well stocked supermarkets, in a small glass jar in the dairy case, or in British import stores or other specialty markets. In a pinch you could use whipped cream instead, but I really recommend using clotted cream if you can find it.
I think cream tea scones go best with red jam, either raspberry or strawberry, or with blackberry jam. You can use whatever jam you like best though. I also think cream tea needs plain scones, rather than scones dotted with chocolate, fruit or nuts, in order to let the cream and jam shine. The only adornment I like to include is a lot of coarse sanding sugar on top of the scones so they are glittery and crunchy on top.
I think both the cream and jam should be applied generously. In the UK there is considerable debate between those who believe the cream should go first and those who are adamant jam should go first, the Devon and Cornwall camps respectively. I will remain neutral on this, the scones will taste great whatever order you apply the cream and jam, though I put the cream on first on this occasion because I think the jam looks nice sitting on top.
These cream tea scones would be perfect for mothers day this weekend, or for an amazing children’s tea party. Or just because you need an accompaniment to your afternoon tea and this might be the best one.
cream-tea-scones
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup cold butter cut into 1 cm cubes
1 cup whipping cream, plus a little extra for brushing scone tops
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Heat oven to 400° F.
In the bowl of a food processor (see note 1), combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add in butter and pulse a few times, until the butter is in small pieces, but some chunks of butter are still visible. Pour in cream, starting with about ⅔ cup, and pulse a few times. If dough is very dry and not clumping together at all, add more cream a little at a time until a clumpy shaggy dough forms. It doesn’t need to be even or have all dry ingredients fully incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface and squish it together into a lump.
Dust flour over the top and roughly roll out into a rectangle. At this point the dough will be quite tricky to work with and crumbly. Roll it out as best you can, squishing any stray crumbly bits back into the dough, put them on top. Using a bench scraper, fold over the dough in three sections, like you are folding a piece of paper to fit in an envelope. Scrape up stray crumbs and put them on top of the dough. Roll and fold one or two more times, or until the dough is holding together.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 2 cm (¾ inch). Using a round cutter (see note 2) about 5-6 cm diameter, cut as many scones as possible from your dough. Cut straight down and do not twist the cutter (see note 3).
Place scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush tops with a little cream. Generously sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Stack your scraps together in a little pile and reroll/smush into a small rectangle 2 cm thick. Cut out as many remaining scones as you can from this dough. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown just along the bottom edge, and very pale gold on the tops and sides. Cool on a wire rack and serve at room temperature or just slightly warm with lashings of cream and jam.
Note 1: if you do not have a food processor, combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl, cut in butter with a pastry cutter and stir in cream gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Note 2: if you prefer, form the scone dough into a large round, about 2 cm thick and cut into wedges. This method is easier because you won’t need to reroll, and you don’t waste any dough. I just like the round ones with a little fluted edge for cream tea, but pick your favourite style.
Note 3: Twisting a biscuit cutter when cutting scones or biscuits can seal the sides and prevent the scones from rising as much as they could. Aim to cut straight down firmly, and pull the cutter straight back up to help the scones rise fully.
