Have you ever been to Devon and had some delicious freshly baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, also called cream tea ? If not, you must give it a try. It is just the best, especially after a long walk on the stunning coastlines of Devon.
Now, I realise that it might be a while before you make it there, so I thought I’d share a quick and easy cream tea recipe with you today. I am replacing the clotted cream with mascarpone and lemon zest, as I find it easier to get hold of in Berlin. Mascarpone, with a touch of lemon juice and zest, really gives it the slightly sour edge you get from clotted cream.
Strawberries are in season right now, and I wanted this recipe to be quick, so I decided to keep them as they are, rather than making a jam. Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants and fibre, so your microbiome will be happy too.
These vibrant little fruit are actually a member of the rose family and grow wild too. They carry tiny versions of strawberries, see if you can spot some on your next spring walk. Caution, never eat wild fruit, berries or plants without being 100% sure they are edible. It is safest to go on professionally led foraging tours.
Back to the recipe, scones are very easy to make, here is how it works:
Ingredients: makes 6-9 scones
250g spelt flour 1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
60g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
150ml buttermilk or kefir
1 egg (optional)
To serve
1 punnet of fresh strawberries 150g of cream cheese 1 tbsp lemon juice and zest of half a lemon – tip : the remaining juice can be enjoyed with sparklling water and fresh mint 2 tbsp of maple syrup to garnish 1 tbsp of chopped pistachios – optional fresh mint leaves – cut into fine strips for garnish- optional
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven at 220C/200F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Sift flour into a medium size bowl, add sugar and salt and rub the butter cubes into the flour with your fingertips until you have a coarse breadcrumb like texture.
- Make a well in the centre, pour in the buttermilk and stir with a metal spoon or cutlery knife until a dough comes together. Briefly kneed in the bowl until you have a soft and spongy dough. Make sure to not overwork the dough to avoid the scones getting tough.
- Place the dough on a surface dusted with flour and roll out approximately 2-2.5 cm thick. Cut out the scones, with a 3-5 cm pastry cutter dipped in flour. Place on the baking sheet. Push any leftover cut dough back together, and cut out more scones; these will likely not be as tender as the first batch.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork until smooth and brush the top of the scones with the egg wash. If you prefer not to use eggs, you can dust the tops with flour.
- Place the baking tray in the top third of the oven and bake for 15–18 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the top and well risen.
- In the meantime mix the mascarpone with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and zest to taste.
- Leave the scones to cool on a wire rack, before serving with mascarpone and fresh strawberries, garnish with a drizzle of maple syrup and fresh mint.
