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Help! Tips for making great scones needed

Category: Recipes,About,Baking  |  Post by: Andrea Wong
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Scones :: So D'lish - New Zealand's food blog website www.dlish.co.nz

I'm really bad at making scones. I really really am.

What is it about this quick, and supposedly easy, baked good that has me stumped? Most other baked goods come out great - lemon curd sour cream cake, macadamia chocolate tartlets, baked cheesecake, meringue... no problem.

But scones, oh my scones! They come out of the oven just edible and by the time they have cooled down, I am afraid to feed them to the birds in case they fall out of the sky because they are so heavy!

Now if I was making rock cakes, they would be perfect. But no, they are meant to be light and fluffy scones. Solid, heavy and dry is how I would describe my typical batch. Needless to say, I don't attempt at making them too often!

Many a friend and relative have given me their hints:

  • Work quickly
  • Make sure that the butter is cold
  • Use a knife to mix in the flour
  • Make sure the oven is hot

People have even given me their 'fool-proof' recipes, including a couple of versions that use lemonade, but with no success. I must admit that these fool-proof recipes result in a slightly better scone than my usual recipe, but they still aren't up to the standard that I want -  a light and flakey scone.

Making scones is the one thing that truly has me scratching my head - I don't know where I've gone wrong. Please help me and share with us:


What are your tricks to making a good batch of scones? Clearly I need help!

Disclaimer: ... and no, the scones in this post's photo are not of my own creation - they are courtesy of the local supermarket. I did manage to put the jam and cream on successfully myself, though :)

Update: 18 September 2009

Annabelle White made buttermilk scones on TVNZ this morning. She had some great tips:

  • Grate the butter
  • Use buttermilk
  • Don't over mix
  • Have the mixture wetter than you would think
  • Use the fanbake setting on your oven

Fantastic segment, Annabelle. You must have read my post and decided to help me out! ;)
Watch the video of Annabelle White making scones
Annabelle White's scone recipe

 I will try out your tips and Annabelle's recipe and will let you know how I go.

 

Update: 10 October 2009

Success!

I can't believe it - I made a good batch of scones! I used Annabelle White's recipe, using buttermilk. I was a bit apprehensive while making the scones, given my terrible track record, so they weren't very pretty... but they tasted great! They were light and fluffy: d'lish!

However I feel like I kind of cheated using buttermilk. The true test of a great scone is to use ordinary milk, I think. I believe that scones should be a quick, cheap, whip-up-any-time kind of recipe and having to spend over $3 on buttermilk (and having to go out and buy some) seems to defeat the purpose.

So, huge thanks Annabelle White, for restoring my confidence in making scones. My next mission is to make a great scone using ordinary milk. I will use all of your tips and will see how I go... wish me luck!

Update: 21 January 2010

Now that I've had some success with scones, I have felt confident enough to show you what they look like. I still need to master how to make a pretty scone, but I think that I've come a long way from those rocks that I used to bake!

So D'lish scones :: So D'lish. New Zealand's food blog website. www.dlish.co.nz

So D'lish scones :: So D'lish. New Zealand's food blog website. www.dlish.co.nz

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  • 09/03/2011 10:54 a.m.
    Carolyn

    I just adore your recipes Annabelle thank you for the scone hints and I'm going to try your Plum Sauce but I think that there is a printing error! but I'm going to try it in the crockpot, it's great for all sorts
  • 14/09/2010 8:30 p.m.
    Emm

    Hi Andrea, I've just come across your blog. Lovely, lovey work :-) My main tip for scones as mentioned already alot above is to not over mix. Main thing is you don't want to overwork the gluten....or you could just go gluten-free by following my recipe and never have to worry about having rock scones again! You'll find my recipe for raspberry and coconut gluten-free scones on my blog http://mydarlinglemonthyme.blogspot.com/
    So nice seeing fellow kiwis joining the rest of the world with this whole food blogging buzz :-)
  • 23/04/2010 2:17 a.m.
    Samantha

    You could use homemade buttermilk - just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and stand for 10 minutes. Cheaper and easier.
  • 20/04/2010 9:30 p.m.
    superewolrdshop

    great reading. I recently came across your blog and enjoy reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment here. you post offen refer the very points in it.. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog more often.
  • 22/09/2009 1:16 p.m.
    Roshi

    Well I like them the old fashioned butter rubbed way but if im short on time and want perfection I do these:

    Fail proof scones.

    1kg bag of self raising flour
    1 Can of sprite
    1 bottle of cream

    Mix with a knife
    flatten to 3cm
    use a drinking glass like a cookie cutter to shape perfect scones.
    cook for 10-15 mins unitl just light golden
    split open and let them melt in your mouth!
  • 18/09/2009 1:16 p.m.
    *** Andrea Wong ***

    Thanks to all who have given me tips on my scones. Tips have been pouring in on Twitter, on my personal Facebook page (tips are welcome at the So D'lish Facebook page too!) and in person. I think I'll have to try another batch soon.

    @Sarah oops, you spotted a typo! Thanks, I've corrected it.
    @Rebecca Yes, I saw that Annabelle White made scones this morning on TVNZ, I've added the link to the video :) You found this site through Syrup? How cool :)
  • 18/09/2009 12:24 p.m.
    Rebecca

    Annabelle White was on Breakfast this morning talking about making scones. Her recipe is on the TVNZ website. Her tips were to grate in cold butter (hadn't heard that before) and to use buttermilk and make quite a wet dough, not handling it too much. I made some earlier this week but I must admit they were a bit rock like. Not at all like Grandmas!
    Love the website btw, I just discovered it today through Syrup mag website.
  • 16/09/2009 5:29 p.m.
    sarah

    fingertips for the butter+flour stage - the knife is for when you mix in the milk. pour all the milk in at once, don't mess about with little dribbles. minimum handling is the trick! put away the rolling pin. I add a half cup cornflour to the 3 cups flour in my recipe, always good for light & fluffy. good luck!
  • 16/09/2009 3:40 p.m.
    librarykris

    Don't mix the scone mixture too much. Scones are not like cakes where you have to "Mix well". Stop mixing when the flour and milk have just combined. You want the mixture to still be a bit wet when you dump it out to be kneaded (not too much kneading). It will pick up extra flour from the surface and won't stick to your hands.
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