Everyone loves the delicious taste of a fresh scone. Warm from the oven, sliced in two and spread with cream and jam, it is the ultimate indulgent treat. Let’s look at how you can get the best possible results when baking scones.
1. Use cold butter
Cold or even frozen butter will result in a better rise for your scone; it is a case of the colder the better. If you chill your pastry cutter and mixing bowl, this will also have a favourable effect on the results.
2. Use pastry flour
All-purpose flour is fine for scones; however, for the best possible results, choose pastry flour.
3. Cheat with afternoon tea boxes
If baking is not your thing, buying afternoon tea boxes from a company such as https://www.afternoonteabox.com/ means the scones will arrive perfectly made and ready to enjoy. Afternoon tea boxes also make great gifts.
4. Don’t overmix your dough
Mix the dough very gently until it is just holding together. You can use a food processor for a cool result but don’t risk over-mixing it. The finished result should look like pancake batter with some small lumps.
5. Chill the dough before baking
Continuing the ‘cool is better’ theme, it is a good tip to chill your shaped scones before you bake them. Use this time to preheat the oven so that the kitchen is cool when you are making your scone dough. You may be wondering why all this chilling matters, with the reason being that it relaxes the gluten protein found in the flour and helps to create a softer texture. When the butter cools down, it gives that lovely flaky texture.
6. Space your scones
Space the scones about an inch away from each other if you are baking them in wedges. If you are making round scones, let them touch and you will have lovely soft sides.
Don’t overcook your scones and serve them immediately for the most delicious results possible. Fresh clotted cream, high-quality jam and a pot of tea are all essential accompaniments.