I've been making scones for quite some time, but I still like to try new techniques and recipes, always searching for the "perfect" scone. As a result, I have a notebook full of scone tips and recipes.
When my girlfriend and I had Afternoon Tea at Sweet Shalom recently, their scones were so light and flaky, and yet the title of the recipe was the same as the one that I often use. I have Sweet Shalom's cookbook, so I compared recipes when I got home. They tweaked their recipe using 2/3 cup of butter, instead of 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup shortening. And that was the difference. I've read, vegetable shortening gives great puff, but no flavor, while butter gives great flavor and tenderness, but not a great puff.
One of the members of a tea-themed E-group that I belong to shared a You Tube link last week for scone making. The demonstrator [Margaret Fulton] said to place the unbaked scones close to each other so they help each other rise up. I had never heard that tip before, so I gave it a try today.
I didn't have self-rising flour as the demonstrator used, so I added my own baking powder. I normally use a pastry cutter to mix the cold butter into the flour mixture, but since the demonstrator used her "finger tips" I did likewise, taking care not to over mix, and I spread the tops with milk instead of an egg wash, as was done in the You Tube video. I was pleased with the results, but not sure they rose any higher placing them close together. Could it be the self-rising flour???
Ahhh... tea and warm scones on a wintry day! What could be better?
Did you know that scones - a Scottish quick bread - is said to have taken its name from the Stone of Destiny [or Scone], the place where Scottish kings were once crowned?
Scone Tips:
* Overworking the dough produces dense, heavy and tough scones. Mix ingredients until
just barely combined.
* The liquid in scones can be buttermilk, whipping cream, or whole milk, often in
combination with egg.
* Scones can be mixed by hand without the aid of a mixer or food processor.
* Scones can be frozen after they're cut, but before they're baked. They don't need to be
thawed before baking.
* Butter must be cold.
* Too little liquid makes a dry scone. Too much liquid produces a flat scone.
* Lightly flour cutter before cutting out scones. Sticking distorts the shape and scone won't
rise properly.
* Twisting the cutter produces lopsided scones.
Do you have scone tips that work well for you? If so, please share.
