scones anyone?

For goodness sake - those ersatz crappy things from Starbucks are not SCONES!:p

I'm Scots - the land where the scone was invented.....

Scones are a treat when you get them made from scratch. So many places use a mix, which is ok. But homemade is best of course.
The best tip is to handle as little as possible. Mix with a fork and work the dough gently with your finger tips.

Pre heat oven to 425f

1lb Self raising flour plus 1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
3oz butter (put it in the freezer for 30mins and grate in,)Then rub in. Tiny lumps of butter left in the mix are ok
Add 3oz caster sugar ( I think thats fine sugar Maybe superfine??)
2 eggs mixed with enough milk to form a soft but slightly firm dough
Keep a wee bit by to glaze

Scrape onto a well floured board and just move it with your knuckles to about 1inch thick. If you're using a cutter, place it, then make a sharp cut.(dont wiggle the cutter about. You dont want to stretch it, or they'll shrink. Alternatively, you can place the whole dough on a floured tray in a sort of rustic circle and score into wedges.( A farl)
For individuals, place apart, but close enough so they will form a "kiss crust" (this is where the scones just touch and when pulled apart are fluffy and crying out for butter. Glaze.
When they're golden brown, stand by with the butter

When you add the sugar, you can also add a multitude of flavours :-

Sultanas/ dried cherries/walnuts and raisins etc. etc.

For cheese scones, dont add sugar and reduce butter to 2oz. Add 3oz grated mature cheddar, an extra pinch of salt and a tsp of paprika. 1/2 way through cooking, sprinkle with more mature cheddar. They're a lovely addition to the bread and oatcakes with the cheese board.

Gaun yersel, Bughut!

I would of loved to hear you say that! :lol: (I love the scottish accent!)

Bug's recipe is almost the same as mine:


Ingredients:
2 cups AP flour
2 cups Cake flour
4 tsp (1 tbs + 1tsp) double acting baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
7 tbs cold butter
1 egg
1 cup whipping cream, 1/2 and 1/2, or whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup + 2 tbs additional whipping cream, to glaze

Additions: Fresh, frozen, dried berries and/or fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, etc., as you like

Option: You may replace 1/4 cup of the cream or milk with sourcream.

Technique
Preheat your oven to 425*

The butter, egg and cream should be held cold in the refrigerator until needed.

In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a fork.

Cut the cold butter into small pieces, add it to the dry ingredients, and use a pastry cutter to cut in, to "cornmeal" texture. That is, the butter should be evenly cut in, and the resulting flour/butter mix should have the appearance of coarse cornmeal.

In another bowl, beat the egg, then beat in the cream, 1/2 and 1/2 or milk. The difference between them is richness -- exactly as you'd expect. Add the vanilla extract.

When the wets are completely mixed, add them all at once to the dries, and mix with a large spoon or by hand (I go by hand) just until a dough forms and all (or nearly all) the flour is incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead gently no more than four times.

If you're making individual, rectangular or triangular scones, pat the dough into a rectangle about 1" thick. Use a large, sharp, floured knife to trim the edges off all four sides of the rectangle, by rocking down on the knife -- with no sawing or drawing the knife through the dough. Then cut the individual scones by using the knife in the same way.

If you choose to use a biscuit cutter to make round scones, use a very sharp cutter. You may press straight down or twist as you cut; but it's important to make the cleanest possible cut and not stretch or compress the dough as you do so.

Use a spatula to transfer the individual scones to an ungreased baking sheet (although you may use parchment or a silpat). Arrange them so they are almost or barely touching -- proximity helps them rise.

If you'd prefer wedges, cut or break the dough ball into two halves. Flour one or two baking sheets (depending on the sheet size). Transfer a dough ball to the sheet, and pat it out into a round "farl," about 1" thick. Use a floured pizza cutter or knife to score the farl all the way down to the sheet. Repeat with the second sheet.

Glaze the scones with cream and put them in the oven. Bake until golden, about 18 minutes for individual scones, and about 22 minutes for the farls.

BDL

PS. This recipe is original with me. If you like it and want to share it (but not for gain) with someone else, you have my permission on condition you attribute it to me, Boar D. Laze. I would consider it a kindness if you would also mention my eventually to be finished book, COOK FOOD GOOD; American Cooking and Technique for Beginners and Intermediates.

PPS. If you haven't done so recently, take a look at my blog on CT, ChefTalk Cooking Forums - COOK FOOD GOOD, Blogging BDL's Cookbook. Suggestions welcome.

Great advice here as always.

Pat...gently. Do NOT use a rolling pin please :eek:

I did that once in Home Economics (high school cooking class) for a special afternoon tea for the teachers...after the poor ol' dough had been kneaded, well, past an inch of its life. Needless to say.... they were awful.

One lives and learns. Be gentle. But nothing beats a Devonshire tea.

The following was posted by Qahtan awhile back:

From Qahtan:

At least the way I make them.

Scones

2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup soft butter
2/3 cup milk plus or minus
1 egg

sift flour and baking powder together. Blend in soft butter.
Beat egg and add to milk and stir into flour with a knife, do not stir to much.
Turn dough onto counter and knead 10 times, just enough to tidy the ball of dough.

Roll lightly to about ¾ - 1 inch, cut with cookie cutters place on dry cookie sheet
And bake at 425 till nice and golden on top 12/15 minutes.
It is better to at least double the recipe, and add 1/3 sugar to dough if you want sweet scones
You don't have to add the egg, it just enriches them, Don't be too fussy with them.
They are very easy ro make, and can be varied many way's, add a little grated cheese, or raisins, or what ever you fancy,
My grandchildren like them split. spread a little butter butter on each side, strawberry jam and a big dollop of cream, well they are growing kids. ;-))).

It's important the dough is not patted out too thin or the scones won't rise. Not less than 3/4" and 1" thick is better.

I've always "dolloped" my scones onto the baking pan, a domed lump measuring approx 2 inches in diameter; and, they rose well..

Edited to reflect the negative

Compared to "dolloped," cut scones rise higher and more evenly as long as they're cleanly cut -- all other things being equal. They never are equal though. Perhaps, in terms of actual rise height your scones are benefitting from not being patted or rolled out.

Dolloped scones are great.

BDL

PS. The post may have been confusing before editing. I bolded the word not for the sake of clarity, not emphaisis. Apologies to koko

They ain't patted out; just rolled roundly and dispensed using a couple of spoonulas from WS.

Puyallup Fair Scones

Puyallup Fair Scones

Anyone who has been to the Puyallup Fair knows about their scones.. I found this recipe on-line, the poster said that she came across the recipe in a 1930's Fisher Cookbook her grandmother had. The original recipe called for raisins, but they no longer make them that way. The ONLY way to eat these is warm with butter and raspberry jam, just like they serve them at the fair!! Store them in an air tight container and they keep well.

Pre-heat oven to 450F

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons shortening
3/4+2T cup milk

Sift and measure the flour. Re-sift with other dry ingredients.

Work shortening into dry ingredients with the fingers. Add milk to mixture.

Turn out on to a floured board and divide into two equal pieces. Roll or pat each into a round and to the thickness of biscuits (3/4 inch to a full inch).

Cut into wedge shaped pieces like a pie and bake about 15 minutes at 450 degrees on an ungreased baking sheet. To serve like they do at the fair; split open but do not cut clear through. Fill with jam and close. Eat and enjoy!

...and the Bap :)

I am really glad that this topic got started with the end results of having some pretty great recipes.

I have always made them for my "High Tea" parties but this time I have been able to learn a new technique.

Scones are usually related to sweet dishes and I normally serve them up with Creme Fraiche or Devonshire but I have been to some Tea Parties where they actually had meat and vegetables in them. Is this a new thing ? I don't know....

........"I think its the fat factor that elevates a scone beyond a biscuit"....D. Einstein

And the rowie, and shortbread and... and.... and...:lol:

Don't forget kasha varnishkes, 2 and 1 dim sum and poi.

BDL

I am aware that many nationalities 'claim' the same dish.....
My comments were tongue in cheek.

I think purists, if they exist, would argue that there are 5 varieties:-

Plain
fruit
cream (Devonshire)
Treacle (black treacle)
And cheese

As far as I'm concerned, anything goes. You just have to alter the fat/sugar/salt.

What is the actual recipe for American biscuits? Only ever tried them in diners.

For any one giving scones a try for the forst time the KAF garunteed recipe works very well.

Scones: King Arthur Flour

Probably sacrilege to all the accomplished chefs/cooks out there, but I always find a good solid point to start with some things is from the be-ro cookery book, good 'solid' basics from which to expand.

 

http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm for their 'rich scone' recipe

 

Received my first copy of this 'bible' a long time ago...

Crivvens!

Be-Ro, now that's a name from a long time ago!

Do they even make that anymore? It was a staple in our house growing up.

Well I'm of Irish background and I'm pretty sure the true origin of the Scone has been lost in the mist of the Isles.

 

 The first publication of a recipe of Scones I believe came from Scotland but that has no bearing on the invention.

 

I grew up with scones My mom made a more savory scone with cheddar and herbs. We loved them. My Grandmas made the sweet version for tea time. I wan't so big on them.

 

I did have them on a Scottish menu with tea but it was unanimous that we do Oat Cakes with Raisins....which are also another take on the Scone.

   Scones!

 

 

    Thanks to everyone for posting the info on scones.  I had made them quite a while ago for the kids.  Our oldest was learning a little bit about England in her first grade class, so I figured we could take a few steps around England ourselves...at the table.  

 

   I hadn't thought about the origins of scones when I was making them, but the kids sure liked'em just the same (so did mom and dad).  I think I'll give bughut's recipe a try tonight.  Thanks all!

 

   dan

Oatcakes are not to be confused with scones.... EVER!

What would be the best size to cut the scones? 1" thick or 2" thick? Just confused with the earlier post. :)

1" is good. The finished product should rise to about 1 1/2".

I learned a great scone trick from the Baking with Julia cookbook. Freeze the butter and then grate it (on the coarse side of four sided box grater) into the flour. Works great, makes the mixing quick and ensures the butter makes a flaky scone. Try it! Don't scoff like a friend of mine who loftily said "I will never grate butter." She just doesn't know what she's missing (but I do think of her everytime I make scones!).

no offence intended on the Scottish fare

 

just an Irish girl with an old recipe from nana

 

We Irish stand by ours too

 

appreciate the effort Ishbel

 

Gypsy