My Auntie Edith's scones

Words and photos by Susie Sandford Smith

A version of this post first appeared on ACHS 2020

Pronounced (with an “oh”, NOT an “on”)

Scones with butter, jam and clotted cream and fresh strawberries

I spent my early childhood in the West Indies and Africa and I used to love it when we would come over to England and visit my aunties who ate ‘tea’ and asked us if we’d like a glass of ‘pop’ and spoke with funny accents (Yorkshire).

My Auntie Edith (she was a good 55 years older than me) and I bonded over knitting and scones. She taught me to knit, something I still do to this day and often, when I do, I think of her and smile. And she taught me to make scones. It makes me chuckle to think about my aunt who would get up early several days a week to make scones for “the old folk”, herself in her early 80s.

Although she would happily make scones with us, nobody knew the recipe – she would always say “ahhh…it’s a secret”. And then one day, now an adult living in London, I found myself really hankering for my Auntie Edith’s scones. I’ve no idea what I said on the phone but by the time we’d hung up, I had the recipe. I know it sounds corny but, in my household we make these scones with love. I make them for my father (who LOVES scones) when I think he needs a little bit of spoiling – I’ve made them and dropped some off to him during lockdown when I’ve not been able to see him in person. And we make them when we’re trying to make a good impression!

When my aunt died I was the only one who had her recipe but I gave it her daughter and she, in turn, made a mountain of scones for the funeral and printed the recipe on the back of the funeral service. I have mine tucked away with all my keepsakes and I have the recipe written out in a million different places. It’s funny because although I’ve made a few tiny tweaks to the recipe, it will always be My Auntie Edith’s scones. I hope you enjoy these scones as much as we do.

Makes 8 to 10 scones

Ingredients

8oz self-raising flour

3oz butter

2oz granulated sugar

2 to 3oz sultanas

1 egg beaten into ¼ pint of milk (beat well)

Method

Pre heat your over to gas mark 7

1.   Mix the sugar and flour together.

2.   Rub in the butter (my auntie used margarine). Do this with as light a touch as possible rubbing the mixture between your fingertips. As you rub lift your fingers up so that the mixture falls back into the mixing bowl. You’re aiming to get as much air into the mixture as possible.

3.   Add the sultanas.

4.   Add the liquid slowly, you’ll only need about half for the quantity of dry ingredients (I usually double up on dry and then worry I won’t have enough wet).

5.   Add enough liquid that the mixture binds together in a softish ball.

6.   Roll out on a floured surface. My aunt just pressed the mixture out lightly but I prefer to roll. Whatever you do work quickly.

7.   Cut out rounds and place on a greased baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until beginning to turn golden.

8.   I really like big scones and often I just drop a blob of mixture in a muffin tin and cook for a little longer. It works a treat.

9.   Serve with butter and jam or jam and clotted cream or go for the lot. I really like mine with fresh strawberries too.