With the Jubilee fast approaching, we are sure many of you will be baking homemade scones for street parties and picnics. However, mastering these classic treats may not be as easy as it seems. There are many things that could impact how your scones bake, so that’s where we come in, to help you make the perfect scone.
In order to achieve the light, and crumbly scone we all know and love, follow our top tips:
By using cold ingredients it will allow your scones to rise more. The cold butter melts as soon as it hits the hot oven, allowing the water in the butter to evaporate into steam, which then escapes and creates a well risen scone.
Use a knife to mix the milk into the rest of the ingredients, then bring together with your hands until everything is just combined and smooth. Don’t overwork the dough, as this will cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop resulting in a tough scone.
Rolling the dough out too thinly will stop you getting deep scones. We recommend rolling out the dough to about 4-5cm thick. If you want to make more scones than the recipe suggests, why not double the ingredients.
When cutting out the scones, lightly dust the cutter with flour and then push straight down in one quick motion. When removing the scone from the cutter, don’t be tempted to twist or wiggle the cutter (just push the scone gently around the edges if you need to), as this will cause the scones to rise unevenly, leaving you with wonky scones.
Once you’ve cut the scones out, rub the bottoms of the scones on a floured surface before placing them on the baking tray. This will prevent them from sticking and make it easier to remove from the tray once baked. Don't use baking paper unless you want a soggy bottom.
The best things about scones are their versatility. For a fruity scone try adding 100g of raisins, sultanas or glacé cherries to the dry scone mix before adding the milk. Serve warm with your favourite jam and clotted cream. No classic afternoon tea would be complete without them.
The real question is, are you jam or cream first? Let us know in the comments below along with any other tips and tricks you have to make the perfect scone.
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