Have scones always been old-fashioned, even allowing for the popularity of cream teas? They take next to no time to knock up and are incredibly good, just fresh from the oven. They remain a favourite at tea-time, around 4pm when something smallish helps keep us going til supper.

Ingredients:

225g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
25 – 50g butter
150 ml milk (or 1 egg + milk to make upto 150ml)
Extras: 1tbsp sugar+ 50g dried fruit / 1tbsp cocoa + 50g chocolate chips / 100g strong cheddar grated + 1tsp mustard

Sieve the dried ingredients together and rub in the fat. Add liquid and mix to a soft dough. Roll out and cut into rounds about 3 cm thick. Glaze with egg or milk or top with extra cheese if making savoury scones.

Bake in the over for around 10-12 minutes until golden brown at 230C. Cool in the tin before marking into fingers.

Best served warm with butter (or clotted cream and jam).