Nigella Lawson is renowned for her expansive repertoire of sweet and savoury recipes, including classic scones. There are thousands of ways to make the classic teatime treat, but the TV cook relies on a frequently forgotten baking powder alternative to guarantee fluffy, crumbly scones every time.
Whether slathered with rich clotted cream or crowned with sweet strawberry jam (regardless of where you stand on the fierce Devon versus Cornwall cream-first debate), a warm scone is the country’s defining teatime bake. Nigella’s recipe ditches standard baking powder in favour of combining bicarbonate of soda with a generous amount of cream of tartar, plus buttermilk for an even better texture.
Buttermilk in scones helps break down the gluten, making the bakes less dense. The recipe notes state: “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.”
Cream of tartar is a by-product of fermenting grapes into wine. According to All Recipes, when combined with baking soda, it becomes a leavening agent – “the stuff that makes baked goods puff up in the oven”.
If you ever run out of baking powder, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar for one teaspoon of baking powder.
Ingredients
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
Two teaspoons of cream of tartar
Two teaspoons of caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
25g vegetable shortening
300ml buttermilk
One free-range egg, beaten
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar and sugar in a bowl.
Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Rub them in with your fingertips, then pour in the buttermilk and mix until a dough forms.
Lightly flour your work surface. Pat the dough into an oblong about 4cm thick, then cut out 6cm scones using a fluted cutter.
Arrange the scones on the lined baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg for a golden finish.
Bake for 12 minutes, until the bottoms are dry and the scones feel “light”. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then serve with clotted cream and jam.
