Devonshire Split

Name: Devonshire Split
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: West Country
Ingredients: 300 g strong white bread flour; 7 g fast-action dried yeast; 25 g caster sugar; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 30 g Unsalted butter; 180 ml Whole milk; 200 g devon clotted cream; 120 g strawberry jam; 1 tbsp icing sugar

Soft, light yeasted buns dusted with icing sugar and filled the traditional Devon way, with rich clotted cream followed by sweet strawberry jam.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South West England

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

300 g strong white bread flour — plus extra for dusting
7 g fast-action dried yeast — one sachet
25 g caster sugar — fine white sugar
½ tsp Fine sea salt
30 g Unsalted butter — softened at room temperature
180 ml Whole milk — lukewarm
200 g devon clotted cream — thick crust clotted cream
120 g strawberry jam — good-quality conserve
1 tbsp icing sugar — for dusting

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•Baking tray
•Greaseproof paper
•Wire cooling rack
•Pastry brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 34 g
fibre: 1.5 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Combine the flour, yeast, caster sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2
Rub in the softened butter using your fingertips until evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
3
Pour in the lukewarm milk and mix to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
4
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5
Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and shape each into a smooth, slightly oval roll.
6
Place the rolls onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving space between each.
7
Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and prove in a warm place for 45 minutes until doubled in size.
8
Bake in a preheated fan oven at 190°C for 12 to 15 minutes until pale golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
9
Transfer the buns to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
10
Cut an angled slit along the top of each cooled bun, taking care not to slice all the way through.
11
Spoon a generous dollop of clotted cream into each split, then crown with a spoonful of strawberry jam.
12
Dust the tops lightly with icing sugar through a fine sieve just before serving.

Chef's tips

Ensure the buns are completely cold before slicing and filling, otherwise the clotted cream will melt. Shape the dough into slight ovals rather than perfect spheres to achieve the classic Chudleigh split shape. Always assemble just before serving for the freshest texture.

Ingredient substitutions

Devon clotted cream → thick double cream, lightly whipped
strawberry jam → raspberry jam or blackberry preserve

Storage

Store unfilled baked buns in an airtight tin for up to two days, but assemble with cream and jam only just before eating.

Reheating

Warm plain unfilled buns in an oven at 150°C for 3 minutes to refresh them before cooling and filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Adding jam before the cream, which violates traditional Devon etiquette.
•Filling the buns while still warm, causing the clotted cream to run.
•Over-baking the buns until dark brown rather than keeping them soft and pale.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately alongside a freshly brewed pot of loose-leaf English breakfast tea.Enjoy as part of a traditional Devon cream tea with loose tea and fine bone china.