Tea-Soaked Sultana Buttermilk Scones

Method

1. Put the sultanas in a small bowl, pour over the hot tea and leave for 10 min to plump up. Drain in a sieve and pat dry with kitchen paper; wet fruit makes the dough sticky.

   Add in this stepSultanas (or raisins) 30 gHot strong black tea (e.g. Earl Grey) 100 ml

2. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter straight in on the coarse side of a box grater and toss it through the flour with your fingertips for 2 min until every shred is coated. The frozen flakes turn to steam in the oven and create layers.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 145 gBaking powder 1½ tspSalt 1 pinchCaster sugar 18 gFinely grated lemon zest 1 tspUnsalted butter, frozen 45 g

3. Whisk the buttermilk with the beaten egg, pour it into the middle with the drained sultanas and mix with a fork only until there is almost no dry flour left. It should look rough and patchy; that is right.

   Add in this stepButtermilk (or milk with a few drops of lemon juice) 70 mlEgg, beaten ½

4. Tip the dough onto a floured worktop, press it into a rectangle 2 cm thick and fold it in three like a letter. Press it out again to 3 cm thick and cut straight down with a 6 cm cutter, without twisting, to make 4 scones. Set them on the lined tray just touching; leaning on each other, they climb higher.

5. Chill the tray in the fridge for 20 min while the oven heats to 220 °C. The rested dough keeps its shape because the butter is firm again, and the relaxed gluten makes the crumb tender.

   oven

6. Mix the yolk with the cream and brush it thinly over the tops only; drips down the sides glue the layers and stop the rise. Bake on the middle shelf for 14 min, until deep golden, split in layers at the sides and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.

   Add in this stepEgg yolk (for glazing) 1Double cream (for glazing) 1 tsp

7. Cool on a rack for 10 min, split by hand and serve straight away with clotted cream and jam.

   Add in this stepStrawberry jam 2 tbspClotted cream 60 g