Before you die I urge you to visit Devon. OK, so you have made a promise to get to Venice before Alzheimer’s sets in, but…

Let me paint a picture. Imagine a place where the North Atlantic crashes against rugged cliffs (well, hills perhaps) and in-between mile upon mile of unspoilt sandy beach stretch as far as the eye can see. Children run along sand dunes to the ocean passing their parents who hide under plastic sheets and fleece blankets protecting them from the gales and driving rain. Windswept, you fall into a 16th century tea house and collapse into a leather armchair, frayed at the edges. On the small table next to you, a copy of Wuthering Heights circa 1890. “One scone or two?” asks Betty. You hesitate before commiting to two, although you ultimately eat four, each one oozing fresh clotted cream and home-made strawberry jam. After your sixth cup of Earl Grey (Wedgewood porcelain of course) you sleep, dreaming of England.

Now, close your eyes and tell me: Venice or Devon? No contest.

Ready

• 8 oz self-raising flour
• 3 oz butter (room temperature and cut into cubes)
• 1 ½ oz caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• Salt

Set

• Large mixing bowl
• Small bowl
• Knife
• Baking tray
• Pre-heat oven to 425°F

Go

1. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
2. Add the butter and lightly rub into the flour. You want it to form the texture of breadcrumbs.
3. Add the sugar and mix in.
4. Beat the egg with the buttermilk in a separate bowl and add it to the mixture. Mix it in with a knife until the whole lot starts to come together. You’ll need to complete the mixing with your hands. You want a lovely soft dough. Leave the dough to rest for 15 minutes or so.
5. Roll out to about an inch thick and cut your scones with a 2 inch cutter.
6. Place them on a greased baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

What you should know

When cutting the scones, never twist the cutter. This will help when it comes to breaking the scone in half without using a knife.

I brush my scones with a little buttermilk before baking. I know most folk use a beaten egg but that’s not for me.

Try cooking these before you serve them up at a party. You will find that playing around with quantities, where you place the tray in the oven, the best temperature to cook them in your oven, etc will make a big difference to the outcome.

You simply have to serve with clotted cream. Nothing else will do. And guess where the best clotted cream in the world can be found? Devon.