These fluffy James Martin Scones are made with strong white flour, cold diced butter, sweet caster sugar, and rich full-fat milk. This recipe creates tall, golden scones that are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside, paired with a quick homemade raspberry compote. They are the perfect treat for a traditional British cream tea or a relaxing weekend breakfast, making enough for 12 people.
Try More Recipes:
- James Martin Victoria sponge cake with raspberries
- James Martin Broccoli and Stilton Soup
- James Martin Cherry Scones
Why You Will Love This Scones Recipe:
- The “Strong Flour” Secret: Most scone recipes use plain or self-raising flour. James Martin uses strong white flour (bread flour). This gives the scones a much better structure, allowing them to rise higher and hold their shape without crumbling apart when you spread the cream.
- Homemade Compote: Instead of using overly sweet jarred jam, this recipe teaches you to make a quick fresh raspberry compote. The tartness of the fresh berries cuts through the richness of the cream perfectly.
- The “Flip” Trick: The method involves turning the scones over after cutting them out. This simple professional tip ensures the top is perfectly flat and smooth, giving them a polished, bakery-style look.
- Speed and Simplicity: Despite the professional results, the dough comes together in minutes, and they bake in just 10–12 minutes. You can have fresh, hot scones on the table in under half an hour.
- Crisp Outside, Soft Inside: The high oven temperature (210°C/410°F) blasts the scones with heat, creating a delicious golden crust while keeping the inside fluffy and steaming.
James Martin Scones Ingredients
For the Scones:
- 450g strong white flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 100g butter, diced and cold
- 50g caster sugar
- 300ml full-fat milk
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk (for the egg wash)
For the Raspberry Compote:
- 500g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 lemon, juice only
To Serve:
- Clotted cream
- Butter
How To Make James Martin Scones
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C).
- Make the compote: Place the 100g of sugar and the lemon juice into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the raspberries and cook for 1 minute, stirring gently until the berries just start to break down. Remove from heat and chill in the fridge.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the strong white flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
- Rub in the butter: Add the cold, diced butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Form the dough: Pour in the milk and mix gently until you have a smooth, soft dough. Do not overwork it.
- Shape the scones: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out until it is about 2cm thick.
- Cut and bake: Use a 7cm circular cutter to cut out the scones. You can re-roll the scraps to get 12 scones in total. Flip them over and place them on a baking tray.
- Egg wash: Brush the tops of the scones with the beaten egg yolk.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they are risen and golden brown.
- Serve: Allow them to cool slightly, then split them open and fill with butter, the chilled raspberry compote, and clotted cream.
Recipe Tips:
- Use Cold Butter: It is essential that your butter is cold. When cold butter melts in the hot oven, it creates steam, which helps the scones rise and become flaky.
- Do Not Twist the Cutter: When cutting out your scones, press the cutter straight down and lift it straight up. If you twist the cutter, you seal the edges, and the scones will not rise evenly.
- Strong Flour vs. Plain Flour: This recipe uses “strong white flour” (bread flour). This gives the scones a slightly better structure and a higher rise compared to standard plain flour.
- Turn Over the Scones: The recipe suggests turning the scones over after cutting them before placing them on the tray. This helps give them a flat, even top for the egg wash.
What To Serve With Scones?
These scones are the centerpiece of a classic Cream Tea serve them warm with the homemade raspberry compote and a thick dollop of Cornish clotted cream. If you prefer savory options, you can omit the sugar in the dough and serve them with cheddar cheese and chutney. They pair perfectly with a pot of English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea.
James Martin's Saturday Morning
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Check Price: £12.50 »How To Store Leftovers Scones?
- Refrigerate: Fresh scones are best eaten on the day they are baked. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store the raspberry compote separately in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: Scones freeze very well. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag freeze for up to 3 months. To eat, thaw them at room temperature and warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
How To Reheat Leftovers Scones?
Important Rule: Never reheat a scone that has already been filled with cream or compote. The cream will melt into a liquid mess. Only reheat plain scones.
1. The Oven Method (The Best Result)
This method restores the crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft.
- Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Place: Put the scones on a baking sheet.
- Bake: Warm them for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Result: They will taste almost exactly like they were just baked.
2. The Microwave Method (The Quickest)
Use this if you want a soft, warm scone immediately.
- Wrap: Wrap the scone loosely in a slightly damp paper towel. This keeps it moist so it doesn’t get chewy.
- Heat: Microwave on medium power for 10 to 20 seconds.
- Warning: Do not overheat, or the scone will become hard and rubbery as soon as it cools down.
3. Reheating From Frozen
If you froze your scones, you do not need to thaw them first.
- Oven: Preheat to 350°F (180°C). Place the frozen scones on a tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Covering them with foil for the first 10 minutes helps prevent them from browning too much.
FAQS:
This usually happens if the baking powder is old and has lost its power, or if you twisted the cutter when stamping out the dough.
Yes, you can. The texture will be slightly more crumbly and u0022cake-likeu0022 rather than the slightly more structured bread-like texture that strong flour provides.
This is a famous debate! In Devon, cream goes on first, then jam. In Cornwall, jam goes on first, then cream. With this recipe’s compote, it is often easier to spread the compote first and top with a dollop of cream.
Yes, frozen raspberries work perfectly for the compote. You may need to cook them for an extra 30 seconds to ensure the excess water evaporates.
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Scones Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 scone with compote (without clotted cream)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 180mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 48g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 20g
- Protein: 6g
James Martin scones recipe
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, BrunchCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy12 scones
servings15
minutes12
minutes290
kcalIngredients:
- Scones:
450g strong white flour
2 tsp baking powder
100g butter, cold and diced
50g caster sugar
300ml full-fat milk
Pinch of salt
1 egg yolk (for glazing)
- Compote:
500g raspberries
100g caster sugar
1 lemon, juice only
Directions
- Compote: Boil sugar and lemon juice. Add raspberries and cook for 1 minute. Chill.
- Preheat: Heat oven to 210°C (410°F).
- Rub in: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Rub in butter until crumbly.
- Dough: Mix in milk to form a soft dough.
- Cut: Roll to 2cm thick. Cut 12 scones.
- Bake: Brush with egg yolk and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Serve: Serve warm with compote, butter, and cream.
