Cutter & Squidge founders Emily and Annabel Lui say: “Smoked cheese, parmesan and black pepper provide a delicious savoury twist on this afternoon tea staple. Serve these scones simply warm and buttered, or with smoked salmon, cress and cream cheese.”

Makes 16-18 scones

Prep time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus extra for sprinkling on top
250g unsalted butter, chilled
175 g grated smoked cheddar cheese
50g finely grated parmesan cheese
75ml warm whole milk
1 egg, plus 1 beaten egg for brushing

Equipment

5-cm/2-inch round cookie cutter

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C (425°F) Gas 7.

Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together into a mixing bowl and add the cracked black pepper.

Cut the cold butter into cubes and rub with your fingertips into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 125g of the grated smoked cheddar cheese and all the grated parmesan and mix in.

Add the warm milk and egg and mix until combined. The mixture should be soft and sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the mixture out to a thickness of about 2.5 cm/1 inch. Use the round cutter to stamp out rounds but DO NOT TWIST as you cut! Just pull straight up.

Space the scones out over two non-stick baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle over some extra cracked black pepper and scatter over the remaining grated smoked cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the scones are lightly brown and have puffed up. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Serve with fillings of your choice. The scones will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

From Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery by Emily & Annabel Lui (£16.99, Ryland Peters & Small), out now

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