EVERYONE loves scones – but you will never guess what one of the ingredients is in my recipe!

Achieving a light and fluffy scone is sometimes tricky to master – they can range from doorstops to perfect scones.

The secret to good lemonade scones - you guessed it - is using fizzy lemonade.

With the combination of fresh cream, this results in a perfect scone without the need to rub in any butter or crack a few eggs.

It also makes the dough easy to handle and stamp out.

The master baker’s top secret for making well-risen and fluffy scones is to use strong bread flour which gives you more consistency.

It’s now the season for local village church fates, galas and fairs, not forgetting the Keighley Agricultural Show in September.

Along with all this come lots of rosettes and silverware, which are seriously coveted for the devotees of craft baking.

Some men and woman have decades of experience and umpteen prizes on the mantelpiece, and they are all looking to be named Best in Show again.

However, I’m sure most village shows are charming and relaxed, it’s all good clean fun and everyone pretends they are taking it in good heart which is the main thing.

It’s very rewarding for me to be asked to judge a few local shows and competitions.

Seeing many of my recipes published over the years on display, means the pressure of competition is with me too.

So this summer I look forward to seeing perfect batches of lemonade scones, placed on pristine ironed Egyptian cotton bed sheets, draped over wonky decorating tables, displayed on paper plates under large pop-up gazebos.

l The pronunciation of the word scone differs across the British Isles.

According to one academic study, two-thirds of the British population rhyme it with gone while many other people pronounce it to rhyme with tone.

The Oxford English Dictionary reports that the first mention of the word was in 1513.

The origin is obscure – the classic Scottish scone, the Dutch schoonbrood and other similarly-named quick breads may have made their way onto the British tea table, where their similar names merged into one.

The word may also be based on the town of Scone, the ancient capital of Scotland, where Scottish monarchs were crowned.