Well, according to Darren McGrady, a former chef who worked for the Royal Family for over 10 years, the Queen prefered jam first. He tweeted: “The Queen always had home-made Balmoral jam first with
The Basics of Eating a Scone Properly
Break apart a small bite-sized portion of scone with your hands or if using a knife, cut the scone horizontally. Use a knife to slather on cream and jam onto the broken-off piece of scone. The bite-sized piece of scone should be eaten in 1-2 bites.
Scones are meant to be eaten with your fingers, not a fork. Actually, there really isn't a use for a fork during the entire afternoon tea service. It's strictly a knife and spoon affair. Scones are best when they're served warm.
So when it comes to cream tea, what goes on your scones first? Cream or jam? Ask the Cornish, and they will tell you that the whole point of cream tea is to have freshly-baked (hopefully still warm) scones, with jam first and clotted cream on top. Ask a Devonian, and they'll tell you it's cream first and jam on top.
Cream or jam first is the great, old scone debate that divides afternoon tea lovers. If you follow the Devonshire method, you'll smother your scone in cream before adding jam, while if you live by the Cornish method you'll go jam then cream first.
Usually consisting of a selection of teas, freshly prepared finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries with all the trimmings, a light Afternoon Tea should allow for 4 sandwiches, 2 scones and 2 cakes (of different varieties) per person.
Those from Devon traditionally put the cream on the scone first then the jam, while the Cornish prefer the jam first then the cream. Some argue it's because of tradition, some say it's because of taste while others think the 'wrong way' is downright illegal.
Traditionally, the Cornish method is to split the scone in two, spread the jam and then add a spoonful of clotted cream. This method is commonly used in London, which would explain why it's followed in Buckingham Palace.
Cream tea has been served in the UK since the 11th century and arguments surrounding the order of spreading the scone's traditional toppings have ruminated ever since. While those in Devon typically spread the clotted cream first followed by jam, the Cornish tradition is to spread jam first followed by cream.
However most people in Australia serve scones with a spread of jam and a dollop of whipped cream on top. You can check out the state of DT in Australia in the Devonshire Tea Guide.
Okay, so this one's a bit unusual and probably isn't the answer you're expecting, but no, you DO NOT cut open a scone with a knife! This may sound unusual, but the proper way is to break it open with your hands. Scones tend to have an indent around their middles so that you can easily tear them apart.
Scones are a British afternoon tea staple and they're delicious served with jam and clotted cream.
According to McGrady's cookbook, scones were part of Queen Elizabeth's daily tea service during his time at Buckingham Palace. “They were served religiously each day, alternating between fruit scones or plain scones,” McGrady wrote.
The best way to reheat scones is in the oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes. A toaster oven set to “toast” also works great. Another option for scones with no glaze, icing, or topping, is the toaster—slice them in half and put them in the toaster for a quick reheat.
Traditionally scones with added fruit are served with butter only; plain scones with butter and jam or cream and jam. Clotted cream and lemon curd are never served together. These days, people do spread jams on the fruited scones, but it is a good idea to use a jam that complements the fruit.
Brushing scones with milk or cream before baking yields a golden crust. For deeper color and added shine, brush with egg wash: 1 whole egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt.
Any leftover cream can be brushed on top of the dough to help your scones turn beautifully golden brown as they bake.
Clotted cream, sometimes also called Devonshire or Cornish cream, is a thick cream that often accompanies scones in the UK.
Traditionally, clotted cream is made with unpasteurized cream, but that's illegal to sell in the US. The closest thing to raw cream is pasteurized cream, that is, cream that's been heated to 167˚F for 15 seconds, then chilled. This is done to kill most of the harmful bacteria in the cream and increase its shelf life.
Devonians say the cream is like butter and forms the base of the scone “sandwich.” In Cornwall this is heavily disputed. They say the jam must go on first, the better to protect the cream from the warm scone, which would otherwise simply melt the cream.
According to proper tea etiquette, biscuits and scones should not be dunked into tea. It is suggested that the scone be broken into pieces and eaten with clotted cream and jam added to each bite.
Frankly, I think it's completely up to you. It also depends on how you brew it: brewing tea directly in the mug requires that you put the milk in afterwards, though if you brew it in a pot it can then be poured over the milk.