No added sugar scones for babies and toddlers (and grown ups)

On such a lovely sunny day, the clocks going forward at the weekend, spring is in the air, what could be better than a scone? If you like you can serve them with fresh fruit and cream (strawberries are traditional but not in season yet in the UK) but my son loved these as they were.

No added sugar scones - makes 6-10 depending on size

Ingredients

225g Self raising flour (or plain flour with added baking powder)
50g Unsalted butter, straight from the fridge
125g Sultanas (golden raisins)
100ml Full fat milk plus extra for brushing
a squeeze of lemon juice - my cunning tip for better scones.  The acid reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to make them rise more.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400F - slightly higher if you don't have a fan.

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sultanas.  Add the lemon juice to the milk and then add the milk into the dry ingredients.  You should have a soft dough; add more milk if needed.

Pat (don't roll) the dough out on a floured surface until it's about 1 inch thick (approx 2.5cm), I know this sounds thick but trust me, after years of flat scones, I now realise you have to make them far thicker than you'd imagine.

Using a fluted cutter or a simple shape, cut out the scones, don't twist the cutter as this may affect the rise.  For babies and toddlers, it might be easier to use a sharp knife and make into rectangles.  Scoop up any scraps and reform to get more but try and handle the dough as little as possible.

Brush the top with a little extra milk and bake for around 12 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Ideally serve still warm either on their own or with butter, maybe a little jam or strawberries and cream for grown ups. Delicious.

They freeze well, but are best slightly warm so give them a quick 10 seconds blast in a microwave once thawed.