Preheat the oven and prepare your tray. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) or gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. The high heat is essential for a good rise.

Toast the pecans. Spread the chopped pecans on a separate baking tray and toast them in the oven for 3–4 minutes, until they smell nutty and look slightly darker. You should hear a faint crackling sound. Set them aside to cool completely. Toasting deepens their flavour and prevents them from becoming soft in the dough.

Rub the butter into the flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, salt, and caster sugar. Add the cold butter cubes. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with a few slightly larger, pea-sized pieces of butter visible. The texture should feel sandy, not pasty. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.

Add the pecans and liquid ingredients. Stir the cooled, toasted pecans through the flour mixture. In a small jug, whisk together the milk and maple syrup. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture all at once. Use a table knife to stir until the dough just starts to come together. It will look shaggy and slightly sticky – stop mixing as soon as the flour is mostly incorporated. Overmixing will make the scones tough.

Bring the dough together. Tip the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, gently bring the dough together into a rough ball, folding it over on itself a couple of times (no more than 4–5 folds). Do not knead. Pat the dough into a round that is about 2.5cm thick. The edges should be neat.

Cut the scones. Using a 6cm fluted or plain cookie cutter, dip it in flour and press straight down into the dough without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the scones from rising evenly. Cut out as many scones as you can, placing them 3cm apart on the lined tray. Gather the scraps, gently press them together, and cut one or two more scones – these may rise slightly less.

Brush and sprinkle. Brush the tops of each scone with the beaten egg wash, taking care not to let any drip down the sides (this can hinder the rise). Sprinkle the demerara sugar generously over the tops for a crunchy, golden crust.

Bake to golden perfection. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 14–16 minutes. The scones are ready when they have risen well, the tops are a deep golden brown, and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. The kitchen should smell richly of toasted nuts and baked pastry. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Make the glaze and finish. While the scones cool slightly, whisk together the sifted icing sugar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl. Add another teaspoon of milk if the glaze is too thick – it should be thick but pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the warm (not hot) scones using a spoon, letting it cascade down the sides. Let the glaze set for 5 minutes before serving.