- 510g/1lb 2oz plain flour, plus extra for flouring
- generous pinch salt
- 2¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 65g/2½oz unsalted butter, plus extra for serving
- 380g/13oz strong cheddar
- 4½ tbsp fresh snipped chives
- 300ml/10fl oz milk
- 1 free-range egg, beaten with a little milk for glazing
- 4 russet apples, to serve
- Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Lightly flour a baking tray.
- Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and mustard into a bowl.
- Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (You can do this quickly in a food processor.)
- Grate half of the cheese very finely, and roughly chop the other half. Stir into the flour mixture with the chopped chives.
- Gradually add milk to make a soft but not sticky dough (you may not need all the milk).
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly, then roll the dough out into a thickness of just less than 2.5cm/1in. Use a 6cm/2½in cutter to cut the scones, re-rolling the off-cuts as necessary. Handle the dough as little as possible to keep it light.
- Put the scones onto the floured baking tray, allowing at least 2.5cm/1in between them and glaze with the egg and milk mixture.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
- To serve, finely slice the russet apples and fan half a dozen slices on the plate with the cheese scone and a small pat of butter.