A Former Royal Chef Just Revealed How To Make The Queen's Favourite Scones

The Queen is a big fan of an afternoon tea. From those little sandwiches to the tea itself, I'm hardly surprised; this is one of the most delicious things to eat, and nothing feels more British. But the most important part of an afternoon tea, IMO, is the scones. Those buttery, crumbly slices of deliciousness are the ultimate treat, and just thinking about that thick layer of jam and clotted cream is making my mouth water a little. Luckily, former Royal chef Darren McGrady just revealed how to make the Queen's favourite scones.

Darren McGrady not only was the Queen's personal chef for four years, he has also worked for other members of the royal family, from Princess Diana to Prince Harry. In short, he sure knows his stuff, and can make any treat fit for a Queen. So when he shared his perfect scone recipe on his YouTube account recently, it's fair to say our lives all got made that little bit more delicious.

According to McGrady, The Queen likes to alternate between plain scones and fruit scones, for the perfect variety. And as for the debate over whether to add the jam or clotted cream first? The Queen is all about the traditional technique, which states that jam should go before the cream (that's my girl).

Want to know exactly how to make the Queen's perfect scones? Here are the easy-to-follow steps:

The ingredients (makes about 16)

• 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour (450grams)
• 1 stick soft butter (113grams)
• ½ cup plus 1 Tbs granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg ¾ - 1 ¼ cups of milk
• 1 cup raisins (if making fruit scones)
• 1 egg yolk for glazing

The Method

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and sugar. Add and rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and about ¾ cup of milk. With a metal spoon bring the mixture together making sure you do not over mix it or you will tighten the dough.
4. If the mixture is a little dry add more of the remaining milk gradually . (You don’t want the mix too dry, or too set that it sticks to the rolling pin.)
5. Lightly dust the table with flour and roll out the dough to about 1 " thick. Then cut using a 2" round cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet about 1" apart and brush the tops with the beaten egg yolk.
6. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes. When cooked, lift onto a wire rack to cool.

Now get the kettle boiling, sit back, and enjoy your arvo tea, fit for a queen.