Very Berry Scones

Ingredients

• 250 g self-raising flour (+ a little extra to dust the work surface)
• 50 g unsalted butter (+ a little extra for greasing the tray)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 30 g caster sugar
• 150 g mixed dried berries (I used Whitworths Cherries & Berries)
• 100 ml water
• 150 ml full-fat milk
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the dried mixed berries (150g) and water (100ml) into a bowl and leave to soak for 20 minutes - soaking the fruit helps to prevent it burning during cooking.

2. 2

   After 20 minutes, drain the water from the dried fruit and put the fruit to one side until needed.

3. 3

   Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan.

4. 4

   Lightly grease a baking tray with butter (if you're using a silicon baking sheet this isn't necessary)

5. 5

   Put the self-raising flour (250g) into a large bowl. Cut the butter (50g) into cubes, and add it to the flour.

6. 6

   Gently rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs.

7. 7

   Add the caster sugar (30g), baking powder (½ tsp), salt (¼ tsp) and dried fruit and mix to combine - Sprinkle the salt and baking powder across the top of the flour/butter mix rather than putting it in one place as this will help ensure that it's evenly distributed.

8. 8

   Make a well in the centre and add the full-fat milk (150ml) - I like to keep a tablespoon or two back to add at the end to help collect up any stray bit of flour.

9. 9

   With as little action as possible, mix the milk into the dry ingredients using your hands until it has come together into a ball of dough. If there's any flour left in the bottom, add a touch more milk to help collect it up - your dough should be slightly sticky, but not too sloppy.

10. 10

    Place the dough on a work surface and pat it into a flat circle with thickness of about 1½ inches (don't use a rolling pin).

11. 11

    Use a sharp knife to cut the circle into 6 segments.

12. 12

    Carefully move each onto the prepared baking tray. Brush with a little milk and then sprinkle the demerara sugar (1 tbsp) evenly across the top of the scones.

13. 13

    Place into the oven for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked (I tap them to see if they sound hollow as you do with bread).

14. 14

    Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

15. 15

    Serve with butter or just as they are.