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Recipe: The Wolseley Scones

Whether you opt for jam first or cream, our Cream Tea is an ever-popular afternoon order here at The Wolseley.

Taking tea is a tradition steeped in history... Read on to find out more and get our Head Chef Ed’s Scone recipe.

With the origins of the Cream Tea said to date all the way back to 1662, it was further popularised with the advent of the railways during Victorian times. And while its provenance is disputed between Devon and Cornwall – and indeed which order to add your jam and cream is the subject of endless debates – it’s safe to say that this is one tea-time indulgence we continue to enjoy, all year round.

The Recipe

Ingredients (makes approximately 12 scones)
  • 325g Plain Flour
  • 325g Strong Bread Flour
  • 120g Caster Sugar
  • 50g Baking Powder
  • 120g Softened Butter
  • 200g Milk
  • 180g Double Cream
  • 90g Sultanas
  • Beaten Egg yolks with a pinch of sugar for egg wash
What you’ll need
  • A rolling pin
  • Mixing bowl
  • A circular pastry cutter (you could use a fluted or smooth edged one)
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Pastry brush for your egg wash
Method
  1. Weigh out all of your ingredients. Begin by lightly crumbing the butter and dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) together, until it resembles breadcrumbs. It’s important here to be careful and not overwork your mix.
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, slowly mix the milk and cream together – just until they come together. Add this to your crumbed dry ingredients, along with the sultanas and mix together until you have a dough.
  3. Roll out and the fold the dough over onto itself (giving the dough a turn halfway through), then wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour.
  4. Then take the dough out and give it a further two turns, wrap again and leave to rest in the fridge for another hour. Once fully rested, roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 25mm deep.
  5. Using a pastry cutter, cut the scones out and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
  6. Beat together 6 egg yolks with a pinch of sugar, then egg wash the top of all of the scones and put back in the fridge for an hour. Egg wash the scones again, then leave out of the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 200c; once the scones are ready to go in the oven, bake for 20 minutes.
  8. When the scones have risen and are golden, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
  9. Serve while still warm with clotted cream and strawberry jam (or another of your choice, perhaps blackcurrant or raspberry), in whichever order you prefer, along with your a pot of your favourite tea… Your scones will keep in an air tight container for a day or two, if you should have any spare!

Afternoon Tea is served at The Wolseley seven days a week, with the option of adding Champagne – and of course, Cream Tea. All served with a selection of the finest loose leaf teas.

Published 5th August 2022