Basic Scones Recipes

CLASSIC PASTRY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Grate the frozen butter and add to dry mixture. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter.
• In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, cream, egg, and vanilla until well blended.
• Add to the dry mixture along with craisins (or other add-ins) and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients in until it starts to come together in large clumps.
• Gently knead mixture by hand (in the mixing bowl) just a few times until it comes together in a ball. Try not to handle the dough too much.
• Dust a clean surface with a little flour and drop dough on top. Gently pat and shape into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 16 - 18 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before drizzling the glaze on top. These are best served the day they are prepared.

SUPER EASY SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the flour in a mixing bowl with a hollow in the middle; add the cream and lemonade; mix until combined into a very sticky dough. Pour the mixture onto a floured surface; roll with a floured rolling pin until the mixture is approximately 1 inch thick. You may need to sprinkle extra flour on top, given the stickiness of the mixture. Cut into rounds and place on a floured baking sheet with each round a few centimeters apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the scones are lightly browned and sound slightly hollow if you tap them, about 15 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT SCONES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. See video above for a closer look at the texture. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
• Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the add-ins, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
• Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges. For smaller scones, press dough into two 5-inch discs and cut each into 8 wedges. To make 10-12 drop scones: Keep mixing dough in the bowl until it comes together. Drop scones, about 1/4 cup of dough each, 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. To make mini (petite) scones, see recipe note.
• Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
• Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s). If making mini or drop scones, use 2 baking sheets. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
• Bake for 18-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Larger scones take closer to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Feel free to top with any of the toppings listed in the recipe Note below.
• Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

BASIC SCONE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to combine.
• Cut the butter into pieces, and add to the food processor.
• Pulse the food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• With the food processor running on low speed, stream in the cream.
• When the dough has gathered itself into a ball, turn off the food processor and divide the dough into two equal portions.
• Flatten each portion of dough into a disc shape, about 1 1/2-inches thick.
• Score each disc into 6 triangles with a knife, and pull the triangles slightly away from one another (allowing about 1/2-inch in between).
• Bake the scones for 14 to 18 minutes, or until set in the centers and slightly golden on the bottoms.

BASIC BRITISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
• Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and enough milk to mix to a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly and roll out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with milk to glaze.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack. Serve with butter or clotted cream and jam.

QUICK AND EASY HOMEMADE SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C / 400°F
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt.
• Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
• Mix in the sugar.
• Add the milk and stir with a knife until just incorporated. Add extra milk, one tablespoon at time, if the mixture is too dry.
• Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until the mixture comes together in a soft ball.
• Press out into a flat circle or rectangle to roughly 2 cm thickness.
• Cut circles with a fluted cookie cutter and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment
• Brush the top of the scones lightly with milk
• Place the tray into the centre of a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes until nicely browned.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Serve spread with butter and strawberry jam. You could also top with a spoonful of whipped cream.
• Best eaten fresh.

SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

SIMPLE SCONES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
• Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
• Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.