Scones are known by a variety of names; and even “scone” is variously pronounced.   (In my family we use a short o sound.)   Whatever you call them, they are one of the basic types of bread, here leavened with baking powder rather than yeast.   They are quick and easy to make; and I do so often when I'm out of regular bread.   I usually just make them as a large round, cut into wedges before baking.   The recipe can be varied by the addition of caraway seeds or currants, either being quite traditional.   I often add caraway seeds; but my mother prefers to add currants.
        The plain scone is the foundation of the famous Devon or Cornish cream tea.   In that case, the scones are made as individual rounds, and served with jam (usually raspberry or blackcurrant) and clotted cream.   Failing the latter, you can use thick canned or bottled cream.   (NOTE:   this is not the same as condensed or evaporated milk, nor is it whipped cream, none of which can be subsituted.)

Ingredients

8 oz flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-2 oz (2-4 tbsp) butter
½ cup milk (approx.)

Optional:
½ cup currants
      or
1 tbsp caraway seeds

Directions

Making the Dough
Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.   Rub the butter in.   If you are adding currants or caraway seeds, stir them in.   Add milk, and mix quickly to a soft dough.

Shaping Scones as Farls
The quick method of shaping scones is to collect the dough in a single large lump, shape it into a roughly round shape, and pat this to about an inch thick.   Place it on a floured baking tin, and cut it diagonally across to produce wedges.

Cutting Individual Scones
Alternatively, you can make individual scones.

Baking
Bake individual scones at 450-475°F for about ten minutes, or a single round at 400°F for about twenty minutes, in either case until the crust is a rich golden brown.   Remove from the oven.

Serving
Serve either hot or cold.   If you wish to butter them, then split them in two horizontally, and spread the butter on the inside sides.   If you serve them hot, then the butter will melt.   For this reason, if you are serving a cream tea, the scones are served cold so that they will not melt the thick cream and spoil its texture.
        Scones are often served with jam.

Makes eight large farls or sixteen scones.