This year has definitely been all about home-baking, with lots of people asking ‘What’s the easiest thing to bake at home?’

It may be a little old fashioned, but this is where I always refer to my faithful Delia Smith’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course. This easy scone recipe is my go-to for a home baking quick fix. (Apparently the story is I borrowed this book of my Mum and never gave it back, but my understanding of the situation was she had given it to me! I’m sure she was just grateful I’d started eating more than just pasta and cheese after university.)

So, clear that kitchen counter top, grab your favourite recipe book and get baking.

Scones are particularly easy because they need only 5 ingredients, all of which are staples in most kitchen cupboards. A simple list of self-raising flour, butter, caster sugar, salt and milk and you’re all set. A great way to fill a gloomy November afternoon in lockdown 2. They only take 10 minutes to prepare, and less than 15 to bake.

You may say scones aren’t easy because yours don’t rise. There’s a few simple tips to overcome this problem. A major cause of failure is rolling the dough out too thin, so to make the perfect scone, make sure your dough is at least 2cm thick. The next thing to consider is the evenness of the dough. Try and apply equal pressure to keep your dough thickness even all the way across.

So, why not get baking and serve these beauties with strawberry jam, and Cornish clotted cream.

Tried and Tested Recipe:

225g Self-Raising Flour

40g Butter

1 1/2 Tablespoons Caster Sugar

A Pinch of Salt

150ml Milk

Sift the flour into a bowl.

Stir in sugar and salt and start to mix in the milk a little at a time with a knife.

Dust your hands with flour and start to knead.

Turn the dough out and roll out to 2cm thick.

Cut to portion size.

Place on greased baking sheet in a 220º C oven for 12-15 minutes.