Simple Date Scone Recipe

Pre-heat the oven to 180C Fan or 200C normal (350/390F)

Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl

Rub the butter into the flour with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively, use a pastry cutter to start the process and switch to fingertips once you have cut the butter through the flour and it is starting to resemble large breadcrumbs.

Mix in the chopped dates and optional cinnamon. Alternatively, use a food processor and mix the dates into the flour and butter mixture. This will result in very small pieces of dates spread throughout the scones.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the milk. Use a butterknife to bring the mixture together as much as possible.

Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and use fingertips to ensure it's fully mixed into a dough, then gently push it out so it is around 1-2 inches thick, depending on how large you'd like your scones to be.

Use a scone cutter or glass dipped in flour to cut the dough into circles.

Place on a baking tray covered with baking paper or lightly floured, evenly spaced, and brush the tops with milk (optional).

Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until the scone sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Place on a wire rack to cool, or serve warm with butter.