Classic English Scones - A Complete Tutorial

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a large baking tray. Alternately line it with greaseproof paper. Measure the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder. (Pour the flour in from on high to aerate it.) Whisk together. Drop in the cold butter in bits. Using your fingertips rub the butter in quickly until the mixture resembles fine dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and raisins. Beat the eggs. Remove and set 2 TBS aside. Add 100ml (scant 1/2 cup) of the milk to the eggs and beat together. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix together with the rounded end of a butter knife to form a soft but slightly tacky dough. Only add the remainder of the milk if your dough is too dry and you want to absorb any dry bits in the bowl. The dough should NOT be too wet, but not too dry either. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple of times to bring well together. Gently pat out to 1 inch thick. Using a sharp round 3 inch cutter, cut out rounds, using a direct up and down motion. Do not twist the cutter. Place the cut out scones an inch or so apart on the baking sheet. Gather any trimmings together and repeat until you have 10 scones. Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Don't let the egg drip down the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes, until risen and golden on top and bottoms. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Best eaten on the day. Any leftovers can be frozen for several months.