Prepare Your Station: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt, and caster sugar. This aerates the flour and ensures everything is evenly distributed.

Rub in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Work quickly to prevent the butter from melting. I find a pastry cutter can be very helpful for this step.

Add Flavourings: Stir in the dried cranberries and fresh orange zest until they are evenly spread throughout the mixture.

Bring the Dough Together: Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in most of the cold buttermilk. Using a palette knife or your hands, gently mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough begins to form. Add the remaining buttermilk only if needed – you don't want the dough to be too wet.

Shape the Scones: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently bring it together with your hands and knead it very briefly—no more than 4-5 times—just until it's smooth. Pat the dough out to a thickness of about 3cm (just over an inch).

Cut and Arrange: Using a 6cm round cutter, press straight down into the dough to cut out your scones. Avoid twisting the cutter, as this can seal the edges and prevent them from rising evenly. Place the scones on your prepared baking tray, leaving a little space between them. Gently re-form the scraps to cut out more scones.

Brush and Bake: Brush the tops of the scones (avoiding the sides) with the prepared egg wash. This will give them a lovely golden, glossy finish. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until well-risen and a deep golden brown.

Cool and Glaze: Transfer the baked scones to a wire rack to cool slightly. While they cool, whisk the sifted icing sugar and orange juice together in a small bowl to make the glaze. Drizzle it over the warm scones and let it set before serving.