Apple scones for an autumn afternoon tea

Scones are the quickest baking I know. From the moment I decide to make them to the moment they are on the table, it is barely half an hour. In autumn I fold chopped apple and a little cinnamon into the dough, and they come out soft, fragrant and slightly rough on top, the way homemade scones should look.

For eight scones I use 350 g of self-raising flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, a pinch of salt, 85 g of cold butter, 3 tablespoons of caster sugar, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one eating apple, 175 ml of milk and a squeeze of lemon juice, plus a little beaten egg or milk for the tops.

I heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C for a fan oven, and put a baking tray inside to get hot. A hot tray helps the scones rise straight away.

In a large bowl I mix the flour, baking powder and salt, then rub in the cold butter with my fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Cold butter and cool hands make lighter scones, so I work quickly. Then I stir in the sugar and cinnamon.

I peel and core the apple and cut it into small cubes, about the size of a pea. Big pieces make the dough wet and the scones fall apart. I toss the apple through the flour.

I warm the milk for a few seconds so it is just lukewarm, then stir in the lemon juice. This gives a little of the tang of buttermilk. I make a well in the middle of the bowl, pour in most of the milk and bring it together quickly with a table knife. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky; if there are dry bits, I add the rest of the milk.

The most important thing is not to knead it. I tip the dough onto a floured surface, fold it over two or three times until it just holds, and pat it out with my hands to about 3 cm thick. Rolling and kneading make scones tough and flat.

I cut the rounds with a floured cutter, pressing straight down without twisting, because twisting seals the edges and stops them rising. I gently push the scraps together for the last one or two. The scones go onto the hot tray, a little apart, and I brush the tops with beaten egg or milk.

They bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until risen and golden. A scone is done when it sounds hollow when tapped underneath. I cool them on a rack, wrapped in a clean tea towel so they stay soft.

We eat them warm, split, with butter, or with clotted cream and a spoon of apple jelly or jam. The dough contains raw flour and raw egg on the tops, so nobody nibbles it before it is baked.

Scones are best on the day they are made. Next day they are still good warmed for a few minutes in the oven. They freeze well too, once cooled, for up to a month.

A note for guests: scones contain wheat, milk and egg, so I mention it when I offer them.

Apple scones. Makes 8. About 30 minutes. You need 350 g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, 85 g cold butter, 3 tbsp caster sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 eating apple in small cubes, 175 ml milk with a squeeze of lemon, and egg or milk to glaze. Rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, cinnamon and apple, then the milk. Pat out to 3 cm, cut, glaze and bake on a hot tray at 220°C (200°C fan) for 10–12 minutes.

Jam first or cream first in your house?