Cornish Splits - Devonshire Splits

A Cornish Split - or Devonshire Split - was the original star of the famous "cream teas": of Cornwall and Devon. Though you'll more often find a cream tea with scones, the split is a classic as well.

No one appreciates a good scone more than I, but this week I was in the mood for a lovely yeast bun for my cream tea, so here they are! Not a crusty bun, it is neither egg-washed nor well-browned. In fact, a tea towel is spread over them as they cool so as to keep them soft.

Of course, I had to make a batch of Strawberry Jam and a batch of Clotted Cream 

to fill the splits. But I could spare two berries to "model" for me for this little

watercolor sketch. 

Unlike scones, which are served alongside the accompanying clotted cream and jam (or lemon curd), Splits are served, well, split, and filled with the cream and jam and given a dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar).

These were so delicious with a pot of Rishi Tea organic loose leaf Earl Grey. Have you ever had Cornish or Devonshire Splits?

Cornish Splits - Devonshire Splits

(Makes 18 buns)

The Buns

3 3/4 dip-and-sweep cups (18.75 ounces/532 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package/0.25 ounce/7 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (0.25 ounce/7 grams) salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) milk
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) water
1 large egg (medium in UK), lightly beaten

The Filling

Strawberry Jam 
Clotted Cream

1 In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In small saucepan, heat together butter, milk and water until butter is melted and mixture is very warm, but not more than 130F/54C on an instant-read thermometer. Line two baking sheets with parchment. I use one half sheet pan and one quarter sheet pan for this recipe. Lightly oil a 2-quart bowl for proofing the dough. I use a 2-quart glass measure, which makes it very easy to tell when the dough has doubled. 

2 With dough whisk or large wooden spoon, stir warm liquid and beaten egg into flour mixture until blended. The dough will be very sticky.

3 Measure out 1/2 dip-and-sweep cup (2.5 ounces/71 grams) of unbleached all-purpose flour to work from while kneading the dough. This will keep you from the common problem of adding too much flour and ruining your dough. Lightly flour the countertop and scrape the dough onto it. Lightly flour the top of the dough and knead for 10 minutes, adding just a bit of flour as needed. You will likely need anywhere from 1/4 cup to slightly less than 1/2 cup.

4 Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure), cover with lid or plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about an hour or so.

5 Deflate the risen dough by pressing your fist into the middle of it. Turn the dough out onto the counter, no need for flour. Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces. I'm pretty particular about my buns and rolls being identical, so I weigh the dough (in this case, my dough was 2 pounds 7 ounces/1106 grams) on my OXO Good Grips digital food scale, divide the grams by 18 (in this case, coming out to be about 61 grams per bun), then I weigh each little hunk of dough as I go. Roll the piece of dough between your palms until smooth, then do this to shape it into a nice round bun. Cup your hand over it like a "cage" and move your hand rapidly in an outward motion.

6 Place the buns on the parchment-lined baking sheets and cover with lids or plastic wrap. I don't like using plastic wrap, so I have rimmed baking sheets that come with lids! Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes or so. During the last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5.

7 I bake one sheet at a time. Bake for about 15 minutes (you know your oven), until buns are just golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to wire cooling rack and cover with a tea towel. Cool completely.

8 When ready to serve, slice the buns diagonally from about a third of the way down in the front to about two-thirds of the way down in the back, but do not slice all the way through. Put in a spoonful of strawberry jam (about 2 level teaspoons works for me) and spread it over both the top and bottom. Then put in a spoonful of clotted cream (about the same amount). Arrange the filled splits on a serving platter or tray, and dust with a little icing sugar.

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Jean