It's slowly but surely getting warmer, which means many of us will be indulging in a good old cream tea, we wanted to find the best scone to accompany the popular sweet treat in terms of taste and value.
There's something amazing about a fluffy scone filled with rich clotted cream and sweet jam, but it's always a shame when the scone itself just isn't quite up to scratch. Whether you're a fan of fruity or plain, there's plenty of options at our local supermarkets to choose from.
The big question is, which supermarket does the best scone? Does it really make a difference if we buy the 'special' more expensive scones, or is cheap and cheerful the way forward?
We purchased scones from Sainsbury's, Tesco and Aldi to find out which one would score top marks to save you the trouble. Here's what we found.
READ MORE: We tried supermarket own brand coke and one tasted like Coke Zero
Sainsbury's Sultana Scones, Taste the Difference x4
Sainsbury’s has a few different flavour scones this summer, including a Farmhouse Cheese, if you fancy a savoury taste, Cornish Clotted Cream and Summer Edition Orange Sultana and Blossom Honey. But I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to these kind of things so I decided to try to the supermarket’s Sultana Scones.
Part of the Taste the Difference range, you get four in a pack, for £1.60, and they’re neatly boxed with a cellophane wrapper so you can see what’s inside. The scones are 55p more expensive than Sainsbury’s Sultana Scones from its general range, which are £1.05 for six.
Scones aren’t something I buy in regularly, but I do enjoy them, especially with traditional clotted cream, jam and a cup of tea. I have to say, these Sainsbury’s scones tasted delicious.
When I cut them in half, they kept their shape well, which was pleasing as sometimes if scones are too dry they can crumble all over the place. These are enriched with Cornish clotted cream and buttermilk, and even without anything on, they tasted buttery and well seasoned.
When I added a little Lurpak and strawberry jam they tasted even better. They were also packed full of large, sultanas adding more sweetness and texture. Really delicious from start to finish, I’ll certainly buy these again.
Price: £1.60 for four
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Sainsbury’s stores or online
Aldi Specially Selected Sultana All Butter Scones
I love scones and have had many over the years, and although Aldi sells a variety of flavours - including Salted Caramel - I can't resist a traditional fruit scone. Aldi’s Specially Selected Sultana All Butter Scones caught my eye on the shelves due to the four scones being quite large and looking nicely baked and packed full of fruit.
Priced at just 99p for four, they seemed like an absolute bargain. When I sliced open the scone, I was delighted to see there were plenty of sultanas evenly distributed throughout. The scone cut really well and didn't crumble into pieces like some can if they're quite dry.
As for toppings, sometimes I will have just butter and other times I’ll go all-out and add jam and cream, too. I decided to keep it simple and just have butter on the Aldi scone so that I could properly taste it.
The scone was delicious - the sultanas were soft and full of flavour, and I was very impressed with the texture, as the scone was moist and buttery. Priced at just 99p for four, I think the Aldi Specially Selected Sultana All Butter Scones are a bargain and worth every penny. I’ll certainly be buying them again!
Price: 99p for four
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Aldi stores
Tesco Finest All Butter Scones
I’m a big fan of scones, I won’t lie. I’m not usually picky about them either but we all know some are simply better than others.
My local Tesco had a couple of different options, but I opted for the All Butter Scones as they were the most traditional ones on offer. Part of Tesco’s Finest range, you get four scones for £1.60.
Since scones aren’t something I buy regularly, I didn’t mind spending a bit more in order to try the more luxury version. Tesco’s own brand scones cost £1.05 for six, so there’s a 55p price difference - and you actually get fewer scones in the luxury pack.
The Finest scones kept their shape well once they were cut and already I could tell they’d be soft and fluffy. I was right. I topped my scone with butter and strawberry jam and it was heaven.
The scone was light and soft without the stodginess that sometimes comes with scones that are too heavy. I was impressed with the Tesco scones - I’ll definitely be buying more.
Price: £1.60
Rating: 5/5
Where to buy: Your local Tesco store or online here.
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