Scones with whipped vanilla butter

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Sift all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl, then make a well in the centre.

Mix the wet ingredients, then gently fold into the dry ingredients, taking care not to overwork the mixture.

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.

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.

To make the whipped butter, place the butter and vanilla paste in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.

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?

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