Easy Oaty Scones Recipe

These Easy Oaty Scones are a perfect tea-time treat whether it’s plain or packed with sultanas. Just slit the scone in two, cover each half with clotted cream and then add strawberry jam on top, like those from Devon, or you can go with the Cornish tradition of spreading the jam first followed by the cream. Either way, it’s yours to enjoy!

30 Mins 15 minutes (per batch) Easy 18 to 20 small scones

Ingredients

250g/1lb self-raising flour
250g/1lb oat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
50g/1¾oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz butter, softened, cut into pieces
2 free-range eggs
250ml/8½fl oz milk
handful sultanas (optional)

To serve

Strawberry jam
Clotted cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays.
Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. This is not strictly speaking necessary, but it helps to get lighter scones.
Add the sugar and salt to the bowl and mix well.
Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the oat flour.
Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, then add enough milk to make the total liquid 300ml/10fl oz. Stir the egg and milk into the flour – you may not need it all – and mix to a soft, sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, knead lightly and work in the sultanas, if using. Roll out to a rectangle about 2cm/¾in thick.
Cut into as many rounds as possible with a fluted 6cm/2½in cutter and place them on the prepared baking trays – making sure there is some space around each one.
Bring any leftovers dough together into a ball, roll out and again cut into as many more rounds as possible. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra milk, or any egg and milk left in the jug.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the scones are well risen and have a pale, golden-brown colour. Lift onto a wire rack to cool.
Eat as fresh as possible.
To serve, split the scones and serve with strawberry jam on the plain scones along with a good dollop of clotted cream.

Recipe notes

To make Oat Flour simply add rolled oats to a blender and blitz for about 15 to 20 seconds, or until you have a fine, powdery flour. Transfer to a jar or container and store up to 1 month unrefrigerated.

You can vary the amount of oat flour used. In this recipe, Oat Flour has been used as a substitute for up to 50% of the plain flour.

Once the easy oaty scones are cool, they can be frozen. To eat, defrost at room temperature and then reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes. The scone dough should be slightly sticky to give the best results.

Don’t over handle the dough or it will be tough and don’t be tempted to roll it out too thinly or you won’t get good deep scones.

And finally, jam first or clotted cream?

It’s always jam first at Buckingham Palace garden parties. Apparently, the Royals follow the Cornish method which is to split the scone in two, spread the jam, and then add a spoonful of clotted cream.