The basic scones recipe is essential to master as this allows you to add so many different flavours to it - whether they are sweet or savoury.

TV chef Nigella Lawson has shared her “basic” recipe she claims has “never failed”.

This recipe only requires five ingredients that are considered staples in most households so there’s no need to pop to the shops.

Describing the recipe, Nigella said: “Now when I say these have never failed, I genuinely mean that. I have been making this particular one for a couple of decades now.

“Preheat oven to 230 to 240C - at 240C in the hottest part of your oven, the scones may take as little as eight minutes to cook.”

Ingredients (makes 10)

Two cups of self-rising flour

Two teaspoons caster sugar

15 teaspoons chopped butter

One cup milk

A pinch of salt

Method 

Start by preheating the oven to the temperature advised above before sifting flour, salt and sugar into a medium bowl and rubbing in the butter with your fingertips.

Make a well in the centre of the ingredients, and add almost all the milk at once. Using a knife, “cut” the milk through the flour mixture to mix to a soft, sticky dough.

Add remaining milk only if needed for correct consistency. It should be soft and sticky. Then turn the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough very lightly until smooth, then press it out gently and evenly to approximately 2cm thickness.

Don't use too much flour on the board or the balance of ingredients “will be upset”.

Use a 5cm cutter into flour and cut as many rounds as you can from the piece of dough.

Place the scones side by side, just touching, in lightly greased 20cm baking trays.

Gently knead the remaining dough into a round shape again - the scones from the second handling will not be quite as light as those from the first.

When patting the dough out, leave it a little thicker than the first time. Brush tops with extra milk and bake in a very hot oven for about eight to 10, or until tops are browned and scones sound hollow when tapped with fingertips.

Don't squash the scones into the pan, they should be just touching. They do expand as well as rise and overcrowding will make it difficult to cook the scones in the middle.

You must cook the scones at a very high temperature - the hottest part of your oven will give the best results.