A scone is a traditional British baked good, popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is usually made of either wheat flour or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component of the cream tea. It differs from teacakes and other types of sweets that are made with yeast. Scones were chosen as the Republic of Ireland representative for Café Europe during the Austrian presidency of the European Union in 2006, while the United Kingdom chose shortbread.
Scones with jam and whipped cream, here a substitute for clotted cream as commonly eaten in a cream tea
A fresh batch of homemade buttermilk scones
Clockwise from bottom: hot buttered tattie scones next to a cheese scone, shiny and flat treacle scones, and a milk scone above a fruit scone
An Irish scone with sultanas
A cream tea is an afternoon tea consisting of tea, scones, clotted cream, jam, and sometimes butter. Cream teas are sold in tea rooms throughout England, especially Devon and Cornwall, and in some other parts of the Commonwealth.
A cream tea from Devon, comprising tea taken with scones, clotted cream and jam.
An example of scones prepared according to the "Cornwall method".
A cream tea in Boscastle, Cornwall, prepared according to the "Devon method".
