Apple scones? Summer garden? All may well be right with the world. With just a small sprinkle of cinnamon and some cloudy clotted cream, summer all of a sudden becomes romantic. This easy apple scone recipe is perfect for an outside tea party or for nibbling on a summers walk, accompanied with a hot flask of tea.

The first taste of the orchard apple tends to be in late August. But luckily, with useful storage apples are available year-round.

To assist the chopping process learn how to peel perfect apples before you begin scone making. If you have a few apples leftover, then try our Apple Tarte Tatin with Wensleydale Cheese Ice-Cream.

APPLE SCONE RECIPE

Serves 8
■ 1 medium cooking apple
■ half a cup of sultanas
■ 250g of self-raising flour
■ 1 tsp salt
■ 1 tsp baking powder
■ 60g butter
■ 60g castor sugar
■ 150ml milk

For the glaze

■ dash of milk
■ sprinkle of brown sugar
■ grated cinnamon

To begin your apple scone mixture start with apple. Peel it, removing the core and chop finely into small dice.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder to the mix is light and airy. When the butter is soft, mix it in a different bowl to the flour adding the sugar, sultanas, chopped apples and a little hit on cinammon.

When the apple scone mixture is smooth, pour it into the bowl of flour and keep mixing it until it turns into a nice dough.

When your  apple scone dough is the correct texture, not too sticky and not too dry, roll out the mixture onto a floured surface to about ¼”thick and 8″ round and mark into 8 wedges.

Place these wedges on a greased baking sheet, brushing the top with milk and sprinkle with the brown sugar and grated cinnamon.

Bake in the pre-heated oven at 200C  for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown. Serve the apple scones outside with some warm butter or a dollop of cream for extra enjoyment.

Do not forget the extra sprinkle of cinnamon to enhance the flavouring of the apple.

TOP TIP: Do not handle the scone dough any more than is absolutely necessary.