Scones

Traditional English scones are barely sweet — and they are lighter, flakier and tastier than their American counterparts (Baking Powder Biscuits). Delicious when eaten warm, scones are also served cold with a variety of toppings including clotted cream, marmalade, jams, honey, lemon curd and butters. Scones are also made highly savory with ingredients like potato flour and cheese.

Making scones is akin to stirring together baking powder biscuits. Flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder are mixed together, then butter is cut in, and finally milk, cream (adds tenderness) and often eggs (for added richness) are stirred in. Once you add the liquid, stir the dough only enough to combine; don't over-mix, or scones will be tough. You’re looking for a slightly sticky but not messy dough; start with a half cup of cream and increase it as needed.

Make sure the butter, eggs, and milk (or other dairy) are cold. Like pie crust and biscuits, scones rely on cold fat for their flakiness [American scone recipes have you use frozen butter which is then grated]. Bake scones until they're barely done: their interior will be fully baked (not doughy), but still moist. An over-baked scone is a dry scone.

Note: The British make their scones plainer (no fruit or flavors added) than Americans, preferring instead to add jam and clotted cream or lemon curd. Sometimes they will add raisins or currants. Americans tend to make theirs with raisins and other dried or fresh fruits, even frozen (blueberry scones can be made with dried, fresh or frozen blueberries), or with flavors such as pumpkin, lemon, apple, etc. I even have a recipe for Peach Pie Scones that uses fresh peaches and spices in them. Americans may also dust theirs with confectioner’s sugar or add an icing on top.

Tips for making scones:

Also see Scone and Soda Bread Tips

- Don't soften your butter. Cold butter makes scones rise higher.
- Cut your butter into cubes. First, cut the stick of butter down its length both vertically and horizontally. This will give you four small sticks of butter. Cut these sticks into cubes.
- Avoid using a food processor to mix scones. A pastry cutter works best. 
- Add just enough buttermilk or milk (preferably low-fat) to make the dough stick together.
- Avoid over-mixing the dough. Too much stirring will toughen your scones.
- If the dough is too crumbly when you place it on the cutting board, add slightly more buttermilk. If the dough is too sticky when you put it on the cutting board, add more flour.
- Keep the scones as cold as possible until they are ready to go into the oven. This will make them rise better. You can even place the formed scones in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before baking. [Interestingly, I found a British scone recipe that heated the milk and added it warm.]
- Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking the scones.
- You can tell when scones are done in either of two ways: 1) The scones can be pulled off of the pan easily with little sticking. 2) The insides of the scones are no longer doughy

These two recipes, although devised by two American cookbook authors, are closer to British Scones.