Can someone tell me the best scone recipe ever?

[currantbunmum]

We have friends coming for afternoon tea tomorrow and I would like to make huge, crispy on the outside, light on the inside fruit scones. Mine usually turn out thin crispy and dry, a bit like poppadoms. Any Nigellas out there?

thing with scones is not to over-knead them.
Also, don't press down heavily when you roll out.
Make them an inch thick.
Don't keep rolling and re-rolling.
Also, don't twist the cutter. Just ram it straight down and pull off the excess on the outside.

8 oz SR flour
2 oz cold butter (blitz in processor)

stir in 1 rounded TBS caster sugar

stir in quarter pint milk (or buttermilk if you have it) with a knife

MyTwopenceWorth is absolutely right - handle to the MINIMUM, just shape into a vague round about an inch thick then lightly use the cutter

cook about 10 mins at about 200 C

Here's Delia's recipe complete with pictures - she uses an egg but I don't

and they MUST be eaten on the same day, pref still slightly warm!

MTW and Oenophile, thanks for that, I shall try them tomorrow.

i made this recipe today and they tasted good but were popadum like!

I always make Delias recipe and infact made some on Thursday, they were delish.

I agree with TwoPenceWorth - less handling the better and don't twist the cutter.

I use 1 plus 1/2 quantity which makes around 8 scones. Definitely not popadom like.

I use Nigella's recipe which is utterly foolproof - I was accused last week of buying them from Waitrose instead of making them myself, that's how good they look and taste!

I did post it elsewhere for someone a while back... here it is!

ooh thanks lovecat