A simple scone recipe with step-by-step images. These plain scones are mild and fluffy, and go completely with jam and cream for a stunning afternoon tea.
Plain Scone Recipe
After I was in London a number of years in the past, I used to be reminded of my fond affection for Devonshire Tea, which is actually a plain scone served with jam and cream.
As scones will not be extensively obtainable in Zurich, I made it my mission to eat as many scones as I might, in between visiting the museums and purchasing on the Excessive Avenue.
I like the British ritual of getting Excessive Tea within the afternoons, which I believe is only a fancy model of afternoon tea, goûter or fika in different components on the world. There’s something simply so comforting about sitting right down to a scorching cup of tea (with milk and sugar for me), with a small choice of candy truffles to see you thru the afternoon.
And for me, if I can have a heat scone with my tea or espresso, I’m in heaven.
Why This Recipe Works
- These scones take a mere 10 minutes to place collectively.
- These plain scones are deliciously mild and fluffy.
- You may freeze a batch of those scones and bake them from frozen.
Simple Scone Recipe
Scones are very easy to make and, when you don’t thoughts getting your palms a bit soiled, it’s potential to make a batch of scones and have it able to serve in lower than half-hour.
For a very very long time, my favorite (and solely) scone recipe got here from Nigella Lawson’s The best way to be a Home Goddess, known as Lily’s Scones.
Nigella’s recipe produces actually pretty fluffy scones and I’d wholeheartedly suggest this recipe to anybody. The one disadvantage for me with the recipe was the usage of cream of tartar, an ingredient which is tough (typically unattainable) to seek out in Zurich, however which I do know is extensively obtainable in nations just like the UK, US and Australia.
Not too long ago, within the spirit of exploring extra recipes, I began experimenting with different scone recipes and ultimately arrived at my very own simple recipe for scones.
The best way to Make Scones
To make plain scones, you begin by rubbing chilly butter into the dry substances till the combination appears crumbly and resembles moist sand. I additionally use lard or vegetable shortening to make the scones further smooth. For this process, I like to make use of my stand mixer with the flat paddle attachment, however you may after all merely use your fingertips.
Milk is added to the dry substances to deliver all the pieces collectively right into a smooth dough. At this stage, it’s best to deal with the dough as little as potential to make sure that the scones end up mild and fluffy. Over-working or dealing with the scone dough an excessive amount of will end in robust scones.
As soon as the scone dough has shaped, I exploit a patting movement to form the dough into an oblong or sq. form, about 3cm or 1 inch excessive.
It is best to by no means knead the dough as you’ll danger over-working the dough.
You can also make the scones as huge or as small as you want. I normally use a fluted cookie cutter or scone cutter, however you may additionally use a plain cutter, or perhaps a small glass jar.
For actually smooth scones, I wish to bake them shut collectively in order that they develop and stick collectively as they cook dinner, thereby making certain a higher smooth and fluffy floor space.
Wrapping the new scones in a clear tea towel may also assist to maintain the scones smooth by trapping steam to forestall a tough coating from forming.
However when you just like the crunchy coating on scones, I’d bake the scones spaced aside on the baking tray in order that they bake individually.
Fruit Scones
I incessantly make plain scones, however you may simply add a handful or extra of raisins for a fruit scone.
Date Scones
Date Scones are an Australian traditional. Please see my recipe for Date Scones with step-by-step images.
Cheese Scones
For a cheese scone or savoury scone, I’d omit the sugar from the recipe under, and add about 75 g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar or Gruyère.
Pumpkin Scones
Make Pumpkin Scones by including including pumpkin purée to the recipe under. Please see my recipe for Pumpkin Scones for extra particulars.
The best way to Eat Scones
I didn’t know that the subject of find out how to eat scones was a contentious one, however apparently it’s!
My means of consuming a scone is to softly cut up it open with my palms, thereby permitting all the fluffy layers of the scone to be intact. When you had been to make use of a knife to chop the scone, you’ll successfully flatten the layers contained in the scone.
Subsequent, it’s best to place a small quantity of jam onto every half of the scone, adopted by a superb dollop of clotted cream, whipped cream or Chantilly cream. When you place the cream onto the scone first, the jam would merely slide off and consuming your scone will turn out to be a messy affair!
Nevertheless, in case you are skipping the cream altogether, I’d recommend a beneficiant unfold of butter on the scones, which might soften into the scones if they’re heat, adopted by a topping of jam.
Plain Scones
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 10 minutes
- Complete Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 12 scones
- Class: Muffins
- Methodology: Bake
- Delicacies: Australian
A simple scone recipe with step-by-step images. These plain scones are mild and fluffy, and go completely with jam and cream for a stunning afternoon tea.
Substances
For the Scones
- 500 g (3 1/3 cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon wonderful salt
- 25 g (2 tablespoons) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
- 50 g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilly and reduce into cubes (see Kitchen Notes)
- 25 g (1 1/2 tablespoons) lard or vegetable shortening (or just use butter)
- 250–300 ml (1 cup to 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) full cream milk (entire milk)
For the Egg Wash
For the Chantilly Cream
Directions
For the Scones
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) (with out fan).
- Place a baking tray within the center shelf of the oven to heat up when you are making the scones.
- Place the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into the bowl of a KitchenAid or stand mixer.
- Add the butter and lard (or vegetable shortening), and briefly combine with the flat paddle attachment till the combination resembles damp sand. Alternatively, you are able to do this by hand by merely rubbing the fat into the flour along with your fingertips.
- Slowly add the milk and shortly combine all the pieces collectively. It’s possible you’ll not want all the milk – simply add sufficient milk till the combination simply comes collectively right into a tough dough. Strive to not overwork the dough as this may increasingly result in robust scones later.
- Place the dough onto a floured work floor and pat it right into a rectangle or circle form about 3 cm (1 inch) excessive.
- Lower your scones with a spherical cutter. You could possibly additionally use a teacup or small glass to form your scones. Dip the cutter into some flour to forestall the dough from sticking to it.
- You can also make the scones as little or as huge as you want, adjusting the baking time accordingly. I exploit a 6 cm (2.5 inch) crinkle-edged cookie cutter to make pretty small scones.
- Calmly re-shape the dough as crucial, however attempt to deal with the dough as little as potential.
- Prepare the scones intently collectively on a baking tray.
- Make an egg wash by calmly beating collectively the egg and milk.
- Brush the scones with some egg-wash.
- Bake the scones within the oven for about 10-Quarter-hour (relying on dimension), or till they’re pretty and golden.
- It’s possible you’ll want to check a scone to be sure that it’s absolutely cooked by means of within the centre. A digital thermometer inserted within the centre of a scone ought to examine 85°C (185°F).
- These scones are finest served scorching or heat, however they’re additionally pretty served at room temperature.
- Serve the scones with some Chantilly Cream (recipe under) and strawberry jam.
- To cease the scones from creating a tough crust as they cool, cowl the nice and cozy scones with a clear tea towel. The steam trapped below the tea towel will assist to maintain the scones smooth.
For the Chantilly Cream
- Place the cream and sugar into a big bowl and whisk till till smooth peaks kind.
- The cream ought to be smooth, however nonetheless be capable to maintain its form.
Kitchen Notes
SMALL BATCH
This recipe additionally halves effectively to provide a smaller batch of scones.
USING FROZEN BUTTER
You need to use frozen butter on this recipe and easily grate it into the dry substances.
STORAGE TIPS
The scones are finest eaten immediately, or at the very least on the day of baking. However I discover that when you individually wrap them in clingfilm, they nonetheless style fairly recent one or two days later.
FREEZER TIPS
The scones may be made forward of time and saved within the freezer. Merely put together the scones as per the directions above till Step 9. I wish to freeze 2 or 4 scones collectively in a small zip-lock freezer bag for straightforward dealing with. To bake, merely proceed with the remaining directions above utilizing the frozen scones (there isn’t any must defrost them first), however they’ll require an further 5-10 minutes within the oven (relying on dimension).
OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this web site state temperatures for an everyday oven (i.e. a standard oven with out fan). When you’ve got a convection oven with a fan, please seek the advice of the producer’s handbook on find out how to modify the temperature and baking time accordingly.
CONVERSIONS
To transform from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this useful Conversion Chart for Primary Substances.
Vitamin
- Serving Measurement: 1
- Energy: 219
- Sugar: 1.4g
- Sodium: 420.6mg
- Fats: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 33.8g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Protein: 5.5g
- Ldl cholesterol: 20mg
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This recipe was first revealed on 21 September 2012. It has been up to date with new images and extra complete recipe notes.
