Scones Recipe

Who feels like cooking today? After a hearty Thanksgiving dinner followed by a hearty post-Thanksgiving dinner of leftovers, I’m surprised that I do. But all you have to do is say the word scone, and I’ll start digging for my sieve!

The recipe that I’m using today is from a terrific site I discovered a couple of years ago, Eating For England.

Even though I technically eat for Scotland, you will find that scones are an essential component of tea time on either side of the border.

Rhyming with either ‘tone’ or ‘gone’ – depending on the country and region – British scones are a completely different affair than what we commonly find here in the United States. Whereas our scones are triangular and tend to be very sweet and somewhat cake-like, British scones more closely resemble what Americans call biscuits. Even those two things are quite different, however. Our biscuits are rich and buttery and often eaten with breakfast. British scones are lighter, flaky, and have a touch of sweetness. Sometimes they include fruit such as raisins or currants. And sometimes they are savory, like those made with cheese. Scones are a staple of afternoon tea in England and Scotland. They are truly delicious, and I promise that if you give this recipe a try, you will not be disappointed.

Let’s get started, shall we?

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Ingredients You’ll Need:  (makes 7-8 scones)

225g all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp. butter at room temperature

25g caster sugar (I get this from The Fresh Market)

5 oz. milk

1 egg for glazing

Your favorite jam and cream for spreading

*A good kitchen scale is invaluable when baking-especially for recipes with ingredients listed in grams.

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The Process:

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 425°.

Step 2:  Grease a baking sheet.

Step 3:  In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4:  Working as quickly and lightly as possible (and with cold hands), pinch in the butter with your fingertips until mixture looks like bread crumbs.

Step 5:  Stir in the sugar and milk until you have a soft but firm dough.

Step 6:  Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface (I use parchment paper, lightly floured).  Pat the dough into a circle about 1.5 cm (not quite a half-inch thick).  Cut out circles.

*No fancy cutter here…I found that a Crown Royal glass from my cabinet makes the perfect sized circles.

Step 7:  Place cut out circles on a greased baking sheet.  Glaze the tops of scones with beaten egg.

Step 8:  Bake 10-12 minutes or until they are well-risen and golden.  Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes.

Step 9:  Serve on a pretty plate with your favorite jam and either clotted or Devonshire cream.  And a nice cup of tea, of course.

Enjoy!

*I have never come across clotted cream for purchase here in the U.S.  So instead, I use a really good Devonshire cream that I buy from The Fresh Market. 

For a description of the difference between clotted cream and Devonshire cream, click here.

Cheers and happy baking!