Whether you like them savoury or sweet, scones are delicious with some clotted cream and jam. Many chefs have shared their own recipes over the years, but Nigella uses one ingredient in hers for a light and fluffy bake: buttermilk.
Buttermilk in scones helps to break down the gluten and results in an incredible light and fluffy texture. The recipe notes said: “Until you have made a batch of Nigella’s buttermilk scones, you won’t have any idea how easy they are to throw together. Frankly, it shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes to make and bake them, from start to finish. I like to make up quite a big batch of scones and freeze some to produce a near-instant cream tea at some future date. Day-old scones can be revived by warming in an oven preheated to 150°C for five to 10 minutes.”
Method:
Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a large baking sheet with some baking parchment.
Put the flour into a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and sugar.
Chop the butter and vegetable shortening into pieces and drop them into the flour.
Rub the fats into the flour using your fingertips and then pour in the buttermilk, working everything together to form a dough.
Lightly flour your work surface and then pat the dough down into an oblong shape around 4cm thick, then cut out 6cm scones with a fluted cutter.
Arrange the scones on your lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg to give golden tops.
Cook for 12 minutes, by which time the scones will be dry on the bottom and have a “light” feel to them. Place on a wire rack to cool before serving with clotted cream and jam.