Scones will come out of the oven 'golden' with James Martin's game-changing tip

The scone is one of the UK's most widely-discussed treats, from the order of jam and cream application to the correct pronunciation. And celebrity chef James Martin, who credits his nan for his own scone recipe, has an essential tip for achieving that tantalising golden glow.

This is what is going to make a batch of scones utterly irresistible. James advises keeping the dough cool: "Use your fingertips first of all, because that's really the coldest part of your body." He warned aspiring bakers to avoid overworking the dough, as excessive handling can lead to tough and chewy scones.

His go-to ingredients include strong plain flour, sugar, salted butter, a dash of table salt, and a couple of teaspoons of baking powder to ensure the scones rise perfectly, reports the Mirror.

However, there's a crucial step before popping your scones into the oven. James said: "You then egg wash a little bit with just a touch of salt in it."

The secret behind the egg wash, according to James, is related to the scones' short stint in the oven. "They're not in the oven for very long," he noted. "Just the oven is quite high, is 220°C."

This is going to give them a 'golden' top, according to his website.

These scones are best served warm, topped with jam and cream (or cream and jam, whichever you prefer), but if you've been generous with your baking, feel free to freeze some for eating later.

If you're planning to freeze your scones, ensure they've cooled down first. Once thawed, give them a quick warm-up in the oven (around 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few minutes to bring them back to life.

You can elevate your scones with a delicious jam, or follow James's lead and make a sweet compote.

"The compote is just simply raspberries," he elaborated. "They're in season at the moment. Absolutely scrumptious.

"I just put sugar and lemon juice boiling rapidly for about about five minutes, and then pop them in the fridge and you end up with a really fresh topping and obviously a clotted cream to go with it as well."