National Cream Tea Day: Delicious scone recipes you can make at home

National Cream Tea Day falls annually as a celebration of the delicious scone and clotted cream snack. This year, the day falls on Friday June 24.

And with the weekend on its way, why not gather some ingredients up and make some yummy scones with your family at home?

The versatile recipe means you can add almost anything you like, and they're so easy, even young children can get involved with the mixing and baking.

Now the one argument remains... Is it pronounced "scon" or "scooone"?

Tesco: Perfect Scones (serves eight)

Ingredients

350g plain flour

Two teaspoons baking powder

Pinch salt

40g caster sugar

75g butter

175ml milk

One egg, beaten, for glaze

Butter, strawberries, strawberry jam, whipped or clotted cream, to serve

Method

1) Heat the oven to 200C. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar together in a large bowl, then rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

2) Add the milk a little at a time, bringing the mixture together until you have firm dough. If you need to, add a splash more milk - the dough should come together easily and not need to be squeezed. Handle it as little as possible so it stays squashy.

3) Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and pat it into a circle about 1.5cm thick.

3) Cut out the scones using a 5cm straight-edged cutter. For the cleanest edge, press the cutter firmly through the dough and twist slightly as you pull it back out.

4) Put the scones onto a nonstick baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

5) Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Serve with butter, jam or strawberries and cream.

Sultana Scones (serves eight)

Ingredients

350g of self-raising flour

A pinch of salt

One teaspoon of baking powder

85g of butter

Three tablespoons of caster sugar

One teaspoon of vanilla extract

A good squeeze of lemon juice

175ml of milk

85g of sultanas

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 220C.

2) Tip flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, then rub in the margarine until it forms a crumb consistency. Stir in the sugar and fruit

3) Heat up the milk slightly, then add the milk, vanilla and lemon into a 'well' in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir in with a metal knife.

4) Tip the mixture onto a floured surface and work the dough a little until it forms a smooth ball

5) Cut into 8 quite thick rounds, brush with a little more milk, then bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden.

Tesco: Blueberry and Clotted Cream Scones (serves six)

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

Quarter of a teaspoon baking powder

25g butter, diced

25g caster sugar

227g clotted cream

85g blueberries

150ml milk

Jam and more berries to serve, optional

Method

1) Heat oven to 220C and grease a large baking sheet. Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the baking powder.

2) Rub the butter into the flour with your finger tips until it is completely incorporated then add the sugar, and lightly rub through 25g clotted cream so it is a little clumpy still.

3) Toss in the blueberries then stir in the milk and mix with the blade of a knife to make a soft dough.

4) Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and pat out with your hands to make a 15cm round. Cut into 6 wedge-shaped triangles and carefully lift onto the baking tray, spacing them apart.

5) Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack or eat while still warm, with the rest of the clotted cream, jam and more berries if you like.

Aldi: Fruity Scones with Strawberry Jam and Whipped Cream (serves six)

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter

Pinch salt

225g self-raising flour

40g caster sugar

50g sultanas, optional

One medium egg, beaten

5-6 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk

6-8 tablespoons strawberry jam

300ml double cream, lightly whipped

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Rub the butter, salt and flour together lightly. Then add the sugar and sultanas.

2) Add the egg and half the milk and mix very lightly until you have a soft dough. Do not overwork.

3) Roll out very carefully until the dough is 3-4cm (about 1 inch) thick. Cut out with a plain cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.

4) Brush the tops with a little milk or beaten egg.

5) Cook in the pre-heated oven until well risen and golden, about 10-12 minutes.

6) Serve warm with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Tesco: Orange and Cinnamon Scones (serves 18)

Ingredients

850g plain white flour, sifted

Three and a half teaspoons ground cinnamon

Three heaped teaspoons baking powder

160g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Three tablespoons golden caster sugar

One orange, finely zested

Three eggs, beaten

400ml milk

One tablespoon butter, melted

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 240C. In a large bowl mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and a good pinch of salt.

2) Add the butter, sugar and zest and rub the butter into the flour mixture, keeping your hands high to incorporate air. Alternatively, use a food processor.

3) Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the eggs to the milk and pour into the bowl. Mix quickly to a soft, dry dough. Add a little milk if the mixture is too dry. It may appear slightly lumpy.

4) Put the dough on a floured surface and with floured hands shape into a ball. Gently roll the dough out to 3cm thickness.

5) Cut out the scones using a 6-7cm cutter and transfer them to a baking sheet. Brush the top with the melted butter and bake for about 12 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

6) Serve warm, halved with butter and a little marmalade, if you like.

Here are some cute cafés in west London where you can treat yourself to a lovely cream tea.