You can’t have fruit scones without jam, and many would argue that they simply have to be the kind made with strawberries. As to whether you go for cream or jam first is up for debate. Both of these staple cupboard items are easy to find in supermarkets, cafes, and bakeries, but there’s something satisfying about making them from the comfort of your own home.
While many people shy away from what seems like two complicated recipes, a pastry chef has reassured people that it’s much simpler than it looks. Sharing her “unbeatable” recipe, chef Iulia from Ansty Hall revealed the two cupboard ingredients she always adds to homemade jam to make it unforgettable. And you almost certainly have them at home already.
While almost all jam recipes contain 50% sugar, 50% strawberries, and pectin or a gelling agent, Iulia’s recipe calls for two extras.
She uses lime zest and a sprinkle of black pepper to make the strawberries shine and cut through the sweetness of the sugar. Here’s how to make her unique recipe, as featured in Ansty Hall’s High Tea.
How to make strawberry jam
Ingredients
- 1kg of fresh seasonal strawberries
- 1kg of sugar
- Two limes (zest and juice)
- 10g of pectin
- Pinch of black pepper
Add half the strawberries to a preserving pan and crush them roughly with a potato masher. Add the remaining strawberries and lime juice and heat gently for 15 minutes, until the fruits have softened.
Pour a mix of sugar and pectin into a pan and heat gently, stirring from time to time. Cook it for 15-20 min. Add lime zest and black pepper, and cook for five more minutes.
Wait for 10 minutes before ladling the fruits into the jars to prevent the fruits from rising in the jars. Ladle into warm, dry jars, filling to the very top, then cover with screw-top lids. Label and leave to cool.
How to make fruit scones
Ingredients
- 1kg of plain flour
- 55g baking powder
- 225g butter
- 170g icing sugar
- Five eggs
- 285g buttermilk
- 150g dry raspberries/ blackcurrants/ raisins
Method
Cream the butter, flour, baking powder, and sugar together in a large bowl. In a separate jug or bowl, mix the eggs and buttermilk together.
Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. At this point, add any dried fruit.
Turn to speed two and mix for three minutes. Remove the dough and knead it, then cover for 20 minutes.
Roll and cut into 5.5cm scone-shaped pieces. Egg wash and leave to rest for 45 minutes.
Bake the scones at 165C for 15 minutes until lightly golden on top.
