Recipes for a Cream Tea

Whether you entertain friends for tea or just enjoy a tea by yourself, a Cream Tea is a delightful way to relax.  The de rigueur scones with clotted cream and jam is not something one should probably eat every single day--just a once in awhile decadent treat.

As with most recipes, you can start from scratch or use packaged items or mock recipes. I have included both:

Scones - From Scratch:
British scones are more dense and slightly drier, and more crumbly than our American biscuits. A British scone is not as sweet as a scone you will find at your local American bakery.

British Scone
2 c unbleached all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
2/3 c milk
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk (to glaze)

In a medium bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter.  Rub the mixture together with your fingers to break up the butter, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the milk and mix with a wooden spoon just until the dough comes together and no lumps remain.
Dust the dough with flour and place it on a lightly floured countertop. Press the dough into a round that is roughly 1" thick.
Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2" circles.  Place the rounds onto a greased and floured baking sheet.
Let the scones rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 425F.
Just before putting the scones into the oven, brush them with the egg yolk and milk mixture.
Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes, until golden and firm.
Remove the baked scones from the oven and let them cool for 30 minutes.

Yields 8 (2") scones.
*recipe from Curious Cuisiniere
Please be sure to cut your dough into circles, not triangles!


Scones - Mix
I love Garvey's Traditional Scone Mix .  They are easy to make with half the mess of the scratch recipe.


For an even quicker scone fix, try Haywood and Padgett ‘Sultana’ scones.  They are available on Amazon or you might find them at your local British pantry. They are yummy!


Unfortunately, we can’t get the British favorite Rodda's Clotted Cream here in the U.S.  We have to make do with making our own.

Clotted Cream - From Scratch


Clotted cream is a silky yellow cream with a crust on the surface.  It is made by heating unpasteurized heavy cream which is then left in a pan for many hours, which causes the cream to rise to the surface and ‘clot’.
You will need:  1 pint of heavy cream (do not use ultra pasteurized).
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Pour the heavy cream into a 9 x 9 pan.  Place in oven and bake for 12 hours.  Spoon the thick top layer of the cream into a container and chill in the frig for 12 hours.

Mock Devonshire Cream
(Don’t judge.  It's easy.)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp white vanilla extract
1 8 oz carton sour cream
Beat whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff.  Fold sour cream into this mixture and refrigerate.


Strawberry Preserves
(From Martha Stewart)
Yields 2 1/2 cups
2 lbs strawberries, hulled
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Put strawberries and lemon juice in a large saucepan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until juices are released, about 40 minutes.  Stir in sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 210 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes.  Let cool completely; skim foam from surface with a spoon.  These preserves can be canned and stored for up to one year.


I prefer to keep everything as simple as possible.  Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves Is my favorite and, of course, they offer many delicious flavors.


Thanks for visiting with me today.  I’ll be back tomorrow after I enjoy a Cream Tea at a British tea establishment.