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Traditional cornish splits

true taste of Cornwall

We all love the classic scone but have you tried a Cornish split? Much like a sweet bread this bun is a wonderful alternative to a scone with Jam and clotted cream but it’s is also served with golden syrup and Rodda’s clotted cream to make “Thunder and Lightning”

ingredients 7 ingredients
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Prep 30 mins + 1-1½ hours rising time Cooking 20 mins
user icon Serves approx. 15 buns, depending on size people
speech bubble 22 comments
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Ingredients

  • 450g strong flour
  • 113g plain flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 28g fresh yeast (or 14g dried yeast)
  • 85g Cornish butter
  • ½ pint warm milk

Method

  1. First, mix the yeast and sugar together until liquid and then add to the warm milk.
  2. Next, sieve together the flour and salt and then rub in the butter.
  3. Add sufficient liquid to make a workable dough. Knead well, then set aside and allow to prove until it has doubled in size.
  4. Knead again, then form your dough into rolls or buns and place on a floured baking sheet.
  5. Leave to prove once more in a warm place until they have doubled in size again.
  6. Finally, place in a pre-heated oven and bake at 175°C for twenty minutes.
  7. Serve warm with homemade strawberry jam and lashings of Cornish clotted cream!
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Comments (22)

Claire Hambly says: 06 Apr 2021 at 9:37 am

Yes you can use half the amount of dried yeast - we have updated the recipe

Chrissie says: 07 Feb 2021 at 1:45 pm

It's lockdown so I cannot get fresh yeast. Can I use dried yeast?

John Rodda says: 05 Nov 2016 at 12:45 pm

It’s plain flour, but with a high gluten content. It makes the best traditional bread dough and is also perfect pastry for pasties.

John Rodda says: 05 Nov 2016 at 12:43 pm

Wow! I mixed a couple of different recipes together and they turned out proper ‘ansumWish I could post a photo

Denise says: 09 Oct 2016 at 12:40 pm

Can I use easy bake yeast instead? If so, what is the conversation rate pls?

Phil says: 07 Oct 2016 at 8:10 pm

Strong flour is bread flour. It’ll say ‘Strong’ on the bag. Definitely not self-raising.

M. Glass says: 08 Sep 2016 at 3:41 pm

Could you tell me if the 450g strong flour is plain or self raising please. Thanks

Carmie Anderson says: 09 Aug 2016 at 12:12 pm

I’m not sure what strong flour is I’m from the USA. I also will need to convert measurements to cups Thanks for any help you can give me.

Glynis says: 12 Jun 2016 at 8:15 pm

Roddas has always been the best! Splits or scones, home made strawberry jam delicious. Any fruit pie, crumble, cobbler or Figgy Obin tastes great. Must not forget thunder & lightening!

Morwenna says: 25 Mar 2016 at 4:13 pm

In Rosie’s kitchen in Bude, and to my surprise when I ordered a Cornish cream tea, I got some Cornish splits with Rodda cream and it was wonderful!! Much healthier and nicer get the traditional splits instead of scones.PROPER JOB!!!!

Sylvia Meas says: 21 Oct 2015 at 12:58 pm

Dianne, the instructions say 175 degrees

Pat Parry says: 11 Oct 2015 at 4:39 pm

Yes – it works a treat. Give the individual splits plenty of time to rise in a warm environment. (they go into my airing cupboard).

Josephine Paddon says: 06 Oct 2015 at 11:13 am

As a Devonian I am sad to say that your cream is the best! Even better on a Tuff.

Dianne Darch says: 06 Oct 2015 at 9:13 am

What temp should the oven be to cook the splits? Thankyou.

David Rosevear says: 12 Sep 2015 at 1:20 pm

Has anyone used this recipe to make the dough in a breadmaking machine and then divided up the resulting dough and baked the individual pieces in a conventional oven?Help please,David Rosevear.

Csikmiffy@ouylook.com says: 08 Aug 2015 at 1:36 pm

Splits. Takes me back to sunday school outings, village hall fund raising etc, lovely days.

Diane E says: 05 Aug 2015 at 2:33 pm

The traditional Cornish splits take me back to 1952 when I had my first cream tea in St Ives, served with spits. Those were the days!

Stefano says: 28 Jul 2015 at 9:38 pm

Yes, definitely agree with splits being healthier, the scones are heavy by comparison.Speaking of which, as a Cornish person, I have erred in the most awful way.By this, I mean I bought another make of clotted cream, it was from Underwood and I must tell you, it is the worst I have ever tasted, except there was no taste it was a greasy sludge in the mouth.Never again will I tread the path of insincerity. I, who watched the mother of a dear old friend warm the milk from their Guernsey cow overnight then skim the cream off the following day as the scones or splits reached full cooking in the old range.I, who recollect the incredible smell that filled the old kitchen as the splits were buttered, the home made jam spread and the freshly skimmed cream put in front of me to help myself.I, who knew the true taste of Clotted cream have just thrown this rubbish from a Devon dairy in the West of Devon, into the bin with only a teaspoon missing such was its foul taste.Roddas, I’m a repentant sinner! Welcome me back suitably humbled and ready to tread the true path for now and ever more. Never to wander again!

Anne Law says: 28 Jul 2015 at 1:18 pm

They are lovely, however, on the health front, splits have sugar in them whereas scones don’t.

Nicholas Baigent says: 11 Jul 2015 at 8:37 am

I am so glad to see this. I just returned from Mevagissey where I asked for slits in a local baker, and was amazed to find them on sale. They told me of a local restaurant (Number 5) where they still offer cream tea with splits rather than scones, and I was surprised to find that they do despite not having it on their menu. By the way, splits are nice and MUCH more HEALTHY than scones.

Carol Coward says: 24 Jun 2015 at 10:31 am

Proper job!! xx

H Penny says: 14 Jun 2015 at 2:44 pm

I found it really hard to print out this recipe – – computer skills leave a lot to be desired. Cannot wait to try it out. Helen

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