Scones with vanilla butter

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl, then make a well in the centre.
3. Mix the wet ingredients, then gently fold into the dry ingredients, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press down gently, then roll out to a thickness of 2 cm. Take care to work lightly.
5. Using a cookie cutter with a sharp edge, cut out the scones, then place on a greased baking tray, packing them close together. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
6. To make the whipped butter, place the butter and vanilla paste in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
7. Serve the scones warm with the whipped butter, jam and crème fraîche.

Cook's note: Golden on the outside with plenty of height a simple, flawless scone is an art – there’s no icing or ganache to hide behind. So how can you guarantee light, airy scones (not dense, flat pancakes) out of your oven?

• ​Don't soften the butter - cold butter helps scones rise.
• Cut the butter into cubes so that you don't overwork the dough to incorporate it all.
• Chill the scones for 30 minutes before baking to make them rise even better - the cold butter expands in the heat of the oven.
• Place unbaked scones close together on the baking tray so they steam, for a softer, fluffier result.