Devonshire Splits: the easy recipe for a traditional British dessert

If you’re looking for dainty treats for tea time, then look no further than these pretty Devonshire Splits. This is an easy British dessert recipe that’s so good, you might just want it for breakfast too. You might also know them by their other name, Cornish splits, which are larger versions of the Devonshire ones. You might have figured out by its name that this dessert finds its roots in England. The sweet bun originates from the English county, Devon.

Super easy to make, devonshire splits differ from classic English scones in the use of yeast, which also lengthens the shelf life of these sweet buns. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients: flour, sugar, yeast, butter, and milk. Once baked, they’re filled with jam and cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Simple, elegant, and oh so tasty!  These buns are light and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. And they look pretty too!

Tips

You can make the dough in a breadmaker. Mix the dough and use the dough cycle for 1 ½ hours.

To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend.

This recipe will go well with any of your favorite fruit jams or preserves. Don’t like fruit jam? Use dulce de leche or a caramel spread instead. Mix it with the whipped cream for a creamier taste.

If you want, you can mix the whipped cream with the fruit preserves, and use it as a filling.

Instead of sprinkling it with powdered sugar, you can drizzle the Devonshire Splits with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, golden syrup, or honey.

If you want to bake a large batch of Devonshire Splits, you can freeze the buns for later use. Simply wrap them tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Store Devonshire Splits

Buns can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (They don’t stay fresh for long!). The cream and jam should be stored in the refrigerator. The assembles buns should be stored in the fridge, but note that the cream and jam will make the bun more soggy, so it’s best to assemble these right before serving.

How To Make Devonshire Splits

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Dissolve some sugar and fresh yeast in warm milk. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients: flour and sugar.

Pour yeast solution and melted butter into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Knead the dough with a stand mixer or by hand for 10 minutes.

Cover with plastic and set aside for 1 hour. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and round each one into a ball.

Set balls aside, covered, for 15-20 minutes, brush with milk (optional) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Set the buns aside to cool down, then make a slit 2/3 way through and fill each bun with cream and jam before serving.

Notes

You can make these into cream doughnuts too! Simply roll the dough into small oblong shapes and bake. Cut the slits on top and fill with jam and cream.