Anyway, scones are a lot like biscuits, but richer with butter (vs. shortening), egg, and milk or cream (instead of leaner buttermilk). Mix and roll gently, bake in a hot oven, and enjoy! They are traditionally served (with or without currants inside) with cream and jam, but we like them here sprinkled with sugar before baking or spread with a glaze when cool (and then served plain).
Here's the basic form of the recipe, adapted from Bride's Lifetime Guide to Good Food & Entertaining. There are plenty of notes and variations following.
Scones
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup milk or cream
1 egg
Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Combine milk and egg; add to dry mixture. Stir together gently then turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead gently 8-10 times. Transfer to lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet (without sides) and roll out to a circle about 1/2" thick. Cut with a floured knife (straight down!) into 8 wedges. Bake at 450* for 12-15 minutes, until deep golden brown. Slide off baking sheet and cool on rack.
Notes:- I use a food processor for part of the mixing. I blend the dry ingredients, then add the butter in chunks. Pulse, being careful not to make the butter pieces too fine. Turn out into a bowl and proceed with the recipe.
- It may seem like a waste to dirty the food processor for just those two steps, BUT I make many batches at once. If I need scones, I'll mix 3-6 batches of dry plus butter. I'll bake one or two batches and put the rest in pint-sized freezer bags that I store in the fridge. That saves a lot of measuring and mess the next several times.
- The dough can be sticky. I find myself sprinkling on plenty of flour as I knead. It's good to add a little less than the 2/3 cup milk.
- Knead GENTLY! Just fold the dough in half and pat out until it's big enough to fold again. I sprinkle on more flour as needed, and sometimes flip it over on the re-floured surface.
- You can knead on a board or counter, but my favorite surface is freezer paper taped to the counter. It is sturdy, has a slippery coating, and makes clean up easier.
- I rarely make one circle of dough cut into eight. We prefer medium sized scones, so I cut the dough in half before transferring to the baking sheet. The resulting smaller circles are cut into 6 pieces each (see above picture).
- Cut straight up and down with the knife rather than pulling it through the dough. This keeps the seams from being pulled and lets the dough rise higher in the oven.
- Another make ahead tip: I have mixed, kneaded, rolled, and cut the dough before freezing it on the parchment lined baking sheets (covered with plastic wrap). Thaw (I think I did it in the fridge.) and bake--as fresh as fresh!
- Before baking, the scones can be brushed with cream or milk and sprinkled with sugar. I like to use big, sparkling sugar (see bottom photo).
- Our favorite variations: add 1/2 cup currants or chopped tart, dried cherries. Or add zest of one lemon and a few Tbsp of poppy seeds.
- When the scones are cool, un-sugared ones can be spread with a thick glaze made with powdered sugar and cream. The lemon scones are iced with powdered sugar and lemon juice.
- Scones also make a good base for shortcake. Make the big circle of eight. Split each scone and top with fruit and whipped cream. Below are photos of our patriotic Independence Day dessert: red, white, and blue shortcake.
