This is an easy and very flexible recipe adapted from my mum's 1954 Stork recipe book and ammended with words of wisdom from cooks I have met over the years. You can change the ingredients to make the scones cheesy or even sweet. but we usually make them as simple herby scones to accompany hot soup for lunch.

8 heaped tablespoons self-raising flour

½ teaspoon salt.

25g margarine

100 ml milk

1 egg

Seasoning: 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon mustard powder, 

1 teaspoon mixed herbs, a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika.

1. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl.

2. Rub the margarine into the flour lightly with your fingers

3. Add the nutritional yeast, mustard and cayenne pepper or paprika

4. Beat the egg and add enough milk to make up to 100ml. Reserve the rest. Add enough egg/milk to the rubbed in flour and mix with the blade of a knife to form a soft dough. (It is important not to overwork the dough).

5. Place the dough on a floured board and roll or press to 3-4cm thick . Cut into squares with a metal blade, place on a baking sheet and brush with remaining milk or egg/milk mixture.

6. Bake in a medium-hot oven for 15-20 mins.

Notes: At stage 3 you can replace the seasoning with grated cheese or dried fruit and a little sugar, or add any seasoning of your choice. In the summer we use fresh chives or garden herbs.