British Buttermilk and Cream Scones for Tea

By mitzzy

Big, beautiful crusty ; buttermilk makes them high-rising;cream makes them rich and flaky. Perfect for tea and slathering on butter and Devon Double cream and a smear of strawberry preserves. Make these big for a coffee klatch but little, for serving a gaggle of girls, and offer sweetened cream cheese, marmalade as well as jams and preserves, and a selection of teas.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, very cold, diced into 1/2 cubes
• 1/2 cup ice-cold buttermilk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 eggs
• Finishing Touches
• Melted butter
• Devon Double Cream
• Strawberry Preserves

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Have the oven rack in the middle of the oven position.

In a large food processor, place all the dry ingredients and whiz to blend a minute. Add the butter and pulse to cut up the butter into the dry mix until you have fine crumbs or a mealy mixture. (You can also so this by hand in a large bowl). In a small bowl, blend the eggs, buttermilk and cream together.

Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add in the liquid stuff and blend with a spoon or by hand to bring mixture together. This is not a wet scone batter – it is stiff one.

Using an ice-cream scoop, deposit large rounds of dough (about 1/2 cup) using an ice-cream scoop on the baking sheet. Brush with melted butter.

Bake 22-27 minutes or until scones are well-browned all over.
Makes 10-14