Pomp & circumstance

FRUITED SCONES

The Ritz has been serving Afternoon Tea since it opened its doors in 1906, and remains the place for the quintessentially British afternoon tea; the world-class service and ornate settings will make you feel like royalty. John Williams, executive chef, and his team make an incredible 1,200 scones every day, and these popular versions have never left the menu.

MAKES ABOUT 24

• 400g strong bread flour
• 60g caster sugar
• 30g baking powder
• A small pinch of salt
• 60g butter
• 250m• buttermilk
• 100g (dark) raisins
• 1 beaten egg, for glazing

TO SERVE

• Good-quality jam of your choosing
• Clotted cream

• You will need a 5cm round cookie cutter and a baking sheet lined with some baking parchment

1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix together with your fingertips to the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add the buttermilk and gently stir to combine until a dough forms. Add the raisins and knead lightly to spread them throughout the dough. Don’t overwork the dough – the less you work it the more light and fluffy the scones will be. Cover the bowl and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the dough to relax, to avoid toughness.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a thickness of 1cm. Stamp out rounds using the cookie cutter, turn them over and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bring