Cherry scones

It must be the Royal Jubilee in the air or something, but I seem to be drawn to making some classic British cakes at the moment - last week it was mini Victoria sponge cakes, and today my Saturday morning baking session was to whip up some classic scones.  Except that instead of raisins I decided to use some delicious natural glacé cherries that I bought recently in the local farmers' market.  Eaten warm out of the oven, the joke is true: what do you call a cake that disappears super fast?  Scone! 

Ingredients

8 oz self raising flour

1 ½ oz butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

Pinch of salt

5 fl oz (150 ml) milk

2 oz natural glacé cherries, diced

A little extra flour

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C and grease and line a baking sheet.
2. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar and salt.
4. Add the milk a little at a time, and use a palette knife to stir it together.
5. In a small bowl, place the diced cherries and sprinkle a little flour over, stirring together until coated.
6. Add the floured cherries to the dough and mix well.
7. Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough mixture.  Using floured hands, knead it gently to bring it together. 
8. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about an inch thickness. 
9. Use a 5cm round cutter to stamp out rounds and place on the baking sheet.
10. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
11. Dust the tops with a little extra flour, then bake for 12 - 15 mins or until golden brown.  
12. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm, sliced and buttered, with jam and clotted cream or crème fraîche.