Celebrating Devon Day: Make your own Devonshire Cream Tea

We all know it, we all love it - what could be better than a warm, freshly-baked scone, topped with thick clotted cream and fruity jam, served with a pot of brewed English tea? And it all started in Devon...

In fact, the delicacy can be traced all the way back to Tavistock Abbey in the 11th Century. Devonians began with a tradition of eating warm bread rolls with fruit jam and Devonshire clotted cream, and of course the cream always had to be applied first! Unless of course you're across the border in Cornwall...

The rivalry between the two counties is fierce when it comes to cream tea, but the only real difference is that in Devon the cream goes first with the jam second, whereas in Cornwall the order is reversed.

• 400 grams self-rising flour, plus more for the baking sheet

• 55 grams butter, cold, plus more for the baking sheet

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's level)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (make sure it's level)

• 25 grams sugar

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 100ml milk

1. Heat the oven to 205 C/Gas 6. Grease and flour a heavy baking sheet.
2. Sieve the flour into a roomy mixing bowl then add the butter, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Quickly rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Make a well in the centre and using a dinner knife, stir in the beaten eggs and enough milk to make a soft, lightly sticky but pliable dough.
5. Turn the mixture onto a floured board and knead very lightly until just smooth then lightly roll out to 3/4-inch thick.
6. Cut rounds with a 3-inch cutter. Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture.
7. Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.
8. Cool on a wire rack before eating. Serve with clotted cream, fruit jam and a pot of your favourite tea.

Recipe from The Spruce Eats.