Devonshire splits

• neutral oil↗

  e.g., vegetable, for greasing trays and rising

• milk↗325ml ml
• plain flour↗200g g

  plus extra for dusting (if you don’t have a stand mixer)

• strong white bread flour↗300g g
• granulated sugar↗25g g
• packet of instant dry yeast7g g
• butter↗25g g

  softened

• raspberry or strawberry jam↗75g g
• heavy cream300ml ml
• icing sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Lightly grease two baking trays with oil. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium‑low heat until it just begins to boil, then remove from the heat and let it cool to a warm temperature.

2. 2

   Sift the flours, sugar, yeast and ½ tsp salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and combine with a whisk, slowly adding the milk until a soft dough forms (you may not need all the milk). Add the butter and beat until incorporated. Knead for 5 minutes using the dough hook until the dough becomes smooth. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix everything with a wooden spoon and then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the volume doubles.

3. 3

   Punch down the dough, then shape into 12 balls, weighing them if needed for accuracy. Place them on the greased trays, leaving enough space, cover with kitchen towels and let rise for another 30 minutes until they puff up. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6.

4. 4

   Bake for 10–20 minutes until golden and sounding hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. 5

   Slice the rolls in half horizontally, then spread jam on the bottom half. Whip the cream with icing sugar to soft peaks, then dollop or pipe the whipped cream over the jam and serve. Best served the same day they are made.