When it comes to a Cornish Cream Tea, there’s one question that’s crumbling the peace: which should you spread first—jam or cream?

Our Cornish Club decided to whisk things up by taking part in a tasty experiment to see which method our students preferred. The results were as buttery as a freshly baked scone—but there were definitely some crumbs of controversy along the way!

Cornish Vocabulary:

Dehen Te – Cream Tea

Jamm – Jam

Skonsen – Scone

Dehen Molys – Clotted Cream

The Battle of the Scones

A Cornish cream tea is a beloved tradition in the South West of England, made up of scones, clotted cream, and jam. But the order of toppings is where the real debate lies.

• Cornish Way: In Cornwall, the correct method is to spread the jam first, followed by a dollop of clotted cream on top. The jam acts as a base to hold the cream in place—like a perfect marriage of sweetness and richness.
• Devon Way: In Devon, however, the cream comes first, with the jam plopped on top. Fans of this method say the cream acts as a soft, luxurious base, letting the jam sit pretty on top—like a crown atop a royal scone.

The Great Taste Test:

Students were invited to try both methods and cast their vote for the ultimate cream tea combination. The room buzzed with excitement as everyone spread their toppings, each determined to win the argument.

“Mrs Bettens, you are wrong, the best way is dehen/cream first”, came a healthy debate from Morwenna.

As the scones disappeared and the debate rumbled on, it became clear: there was no easy way to spread the love in this argument.

Conclusion:

After much deliberation, the children decided there is no ‘right way’ to eat a scone,  just whichever way you find jam-packed with flavour! Whether you’re team Cornwall or team Devon, one thing’s for sure: a Cornish cream tea is a treat worth arguing over.

Just remember: no matter how you spread it, it’s bound to be splann/super!