Strawberry cream scones

Buttery, tender and moorish golden-topped scones with a vanilla and fresh strawberry whipped cream, fresh strawberries macerated in a little bit of lemon juice and sugar, and a finishing dusting of powdered sugar. So simple but so, so delicious and comforting.

For me, there are few things more comforting to eat, more satisfying, than a homemade scone. I’ve so many memories of eating them; growing up in Scotland, they were a staple item for most cafes and good traditional bakeries. I worked in a cafe-come-farm shop for a while in my town when I was at university, who had wicker basket upon basket filled high with them–plain scones, fruit scones, bran scones (always a generous amount left at the end of the day…) and cheese scones packed with copious amount of orange cheddar. I was often offered one at my aunts, or my grans, which I always very happily accepted–most often fruit scones, studded with plump raisins or sultanas, served with a thick spread of salty butter and dollop of raspberry jam.

Despite being made of somewhat simple ingredients–the same ingredients that feature in many baked items–they have an aroma and taste unique to their own; a whiff of them coming out of the oven, a single bite, and I feel a wave of ease and happiness wash over me. A taste of childhood.