Scones are a special part of the Cookery School experience, so we are strict with exactly how they are made – after all, they are notorious for causing culinary disasters! We love making them for breakfast and do a whole range of different flavours – regular with jam and cream (or cream and jam), apple, raisin, cheese and herb and even whisky-flavoured, served with whisky whipped cream.
These beautiful baked goods are very easy to make, but equally, there is lots of room for error and the result can sometimes be hard, tough inedible lumps of dough.The biggest secret to scone success? Mixing as little as possible and as lightly as possible.
I hate to say that I have watched well-known pastry chefs kneading their scones on television programmes.I yell to them through the television to stop as their scones will be tough. They make them look lovely and straight and up and down but I can tell you for sure that they will not be melt-in-the-mouth or delicate. By kneading the scone dough, the gluten is made active and the scone is then no longer cake-like but rather bread-like. Bread needs to be kneaded but scones need to be treated with the lightest of touches to remain airy.
The perfect scone method
As with all baking, weigh out all ingredients before you start. I love using cups as my mother and grandmother worked that way. These days we have converted my inherited recipe into ounces and grams but cups are still my favourite! Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and gently mix them together, then mix all the wet ingredients together (beaten egg, milk and oil). We love using oil as it is light on animal fat and also very easy to use. Because we serve the scones with butter or whipped cream, it is okay not to use butter in the scone itself.
However, if you prefer a scone made with butter, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the flour resembles a coarse type of grain. You will then only beat the egg with milk and omit the oil.
With wet and dry ingredients separate, ready to mix, and a greased tray ready, quickly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Using a fork and mixing with as few strokes as possible, pull the dough together quickly. Once it has formed a rough ball, tipple everything onto the work surface. If the mixture is too wet, sprinkle a little flour onto the surface so that the dough can be moved around more easily. Using your hands, pat the dough out into a rough square and then fold it over once on itself. This fold gives the traditional mark in the middle of the scone. Once baked one can easily pull the scone apart in the middle because of this fold.
Using a floured cutter to stop the dough from sticking to the cutter, cut the dough into scones and place them on a greased baking tray, making sure that they have space to rise.
Use a little of the leftover milk and egg mixture or some milk to brush over the tops of the scones to give them a lovely sheen.
Place in hot oven 230°C or 450°F until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, either with lashings of jam and cream (if sweet) or just butter (if savoury).
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Find our full scone recipe here.
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FAQs
Once you've cut out your scone shapes, flip them over and place upside down on the baking tray. This will help them rise evenly and counteract any 'squashing' that happened when you cut out the dough. Perfect scones should rise to about 2 inches high.
How to tell if scone is cooked? ›
To test if scones are cooked through, tap gently on top. If it makes a hollow sound, the scones are cooked. Dip cutters into flour between cutting to prevent dough sticking to them.
Why don't my scones rise in the UK? ›
Placing a dough in a cool oven that then slowly heats up actually affects the rising agent. Make sure your oven is at the right temperature you will be baking the scones at before you put them in. Also having an oven that is too hot or too cold will affect the baking of your scones immensely.
What type of flour is best for scones? ›
Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour.
What country did scones originate from? ›
Scones are thought to have originated in Scotland in the early 1500s and the first known print reference was made by a Scottish poet in 1513. Scones were originally made using oats, shaped into a large round and scored into four or six wedges.
Why do my scones go flat and not rise? ›
Why Are My Scones Flat? Expired leavening agents. Your baking powder and/or baking soda could be expired. Most scone and biscuit recipes call for quite a large amount of leavening, and if either are expired, your scones simply won't rise to beautiful heights.
Why are my scones hard after baking? ›
Just a reminder: Don't overwork the dough or the scones will turn out rubbery – or worse, bullety and hard. Cut out your scones cleanly.
Why do you put eggs in scones? ›
Scones can be made either with self-raising flour or with plain flour and baking powder. Sweet scones and cheese scones have an egg added to enrich them. Both will rise but whatever scone you make its important that they are handled lightly and not rolled too thinly.
How long should you rest scones before baking? ›
Always leave your scones to rest before baking. This lets the gluten in the flour rest & calm down a little. 10 minutes is ideal but if you can do longer, even better.
What temp should scones be cooked at? ›
Method. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, add the butter and rub quickly into the flour, creating a fine breadcrumb consistency.
From what I've gathered, the proper way to eat a scone is to split it and spread clotted cream (or butter) and jam on both sides. Never sandwich the sides back together. If serving with clotted cream, spread the jam first, then the cream. If serving with butter, it's butter first, then jam.
What makes scones rise best? ›
To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.
What not to do when making scones? ›
Just a reminder: Don't overwork the dough or the scones will turn out rubbery – or worse, bullety and hard. Cut out your scones cleanly. Twisting the cutter can impair the rise. If you use a fluted cutter, you can't twist it.
Why do my scones spread out and not rise? ›
First, make sure you're using fresh baking powder, one that has been opened less than 6 months ago. Also, if you knead the dough too much, the scones won't rise as tall. Knead gently, and just enough to bring the dough together. Adding more flour also prevents the dough from rising as high, so only dust lightly.
