Scones seem to be becomming a thing of the past, something that Grandma might have made for her friends when they can over for a game of whist on a rainy winter afternoon. But they shouldn't be. These scones are more or less Nigella's recipe from one of my bibles, How to be a Domestic Goddess. They are not too light and not too dense. They are best served straight out of the oven, smothered generously with raspberry or strawberry jam and even more generously with dollops of thick cream.

500 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
4 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
75 grams butter (room temperature)
300 mils milk (room temperature)

thick cream & sticky jam

Preheat the oven 220ºC. Sift the dry ingredients into a big mixing bowl and rub in the butter using your fingers. Add all the milk and mix briefly, then turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently to make a soft dough. Roll out to about 3 centimetres thick. Stamp out your scones with a crinkled cutter - whatever size you wish for is fine, just note that the smaller they are, the less time they'll need in the oven. Place them on a tray and bake for around 10 minutes until risen and golden. Timing is everything. Serve to your guests immediately from the oven.