How to make the Best Scone Recipe

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What would you like to bake?

If  you want a baking recipe with tips and hints, you’ll find it here on Marcellina in Cucina. There’s recipes for a quick chocolate cake, an easy vanilla cake or AMAZING chocolate chip cookies and exactly how to make biscotti. And here you’ll find every thing you need to know to make the best scones ever!

Scones are such a classic Australian treat. Everyone loves them. Whether you like you scones with strawberry jam and cream or with honey or just dipped into your tea.  A light, tender scone is always appreciated and enjoyed by everyone.

Quite a few years ago I visited Tasmania and enjoyed Devonshire Tea every afternoon. I marveled at the bakers in the tea houses who made fresh, delicious scones all day, every day. I wanted to make great scones too!

Then I found this recipe and copied it by hand into my little red recipe book. Now I want to share with you what I have discovered.

The Best Scone Recipe ever!

I’ve tried lots of different recipes. From recipes with lemonade and cream to recipes containing eggs but I have found this very basic recipe is the Best Scone Recipe ever! Why? Because it is light and fluffy, quick to make and never fails. The best part is that the ingredients are pantry staples.

• self raising flour
• salt
• butter
• milk

So you don’t have any self raising flour?

You can make your own quite easily! It takes just two ingredients – plain or all purpose flour and baking powder. Just remember that different brands of baking powder perform differently. So it is adviseable to check the instruction on the box of baking powder you are using.

In Australia to make self raising flour you will need 2 teaspoons of baking powder to each cup of plain flour. However in the United States, you will only need 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of  plain (all purpose) flour. In other countries, please check your brand of baking powder.

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There are a few more tips that I would like to recommend that you follow if you want to have success when making the best scone recipe.

My 8 Secrets to making the Best Scones ever.

Really, it’s quite simple. Here are the 8 secrets I have learnt over the years.

1. Preheat the oven to a very hot temperature – 230°C/450°F
2. Start with cold ingredients and keep everything cold.
3. Grate the cold (even frozen) butter into the flour and rub in but leave little “pebbles” of butter for extra flakiness
4. Add the cold milk all at once and mix quick with the blade of a dinner knife.
5. Turn out on a VERY lightly floured board and knead briefly…by that I mean count quickly to 30 and stop.
6. Resist adding more flour – this dough is meant to be sticky.
7. Use a floured cutter and DON’T twist the cutter. Simply press down to cut. (Hint: use a floured glass if you don’t have a scone cutter)
8. As soon as the scones come out of the oven wrap in a clean tea towel to retain the moisture.

Can these scones be frozen?

As with any scones, it is really best if they are eat warm from the oven. And, I mean, who could resist that? But, even though this is the Best Scone recipe ever, you may have a few left over. You can keep the scones in air tight container for the next day but warm in the microwave before splitting and topping with jam and cream. However, it is best to FREEZE any leftover scones so that they don’t dry out. I like to wrap each one individually in plastic wrap then pop all of them into a zip lock bag. To defrost, simply remove the plastic wrap and defrost for 20 seconds in the microwave, turning over halfway through. Is it like a fresh scone? No, nothing beats a freshly baked scones but at a pinch, I think it’s fine.

Do you want something different? Here are 10 variations for this Best Scone recipe.

This is a basic scone recipe. The best scone recipe but a basic one which means you can add extra flavorings that you may like.

1. a spoonful of sugar.
2. a handful of dried fruit.
3. grated rind of an orange or lemon.
4. a teaspoon of spice like cinnamon.
5. chopped walnuts or other nut that you like.
6. chocolate chips – white or dark.
7. spoon the batter onto hot, stewed fruit and bake to make a delicious cobbler.
8. cheese and herbs for a savory scone.
9. sun dried tomato with olives and cheese.
10. substitute gluten free flour for a gluten free scone.

How to eat scones.

Scones should be eaten warm from the oven. Split the scone in half and you can melt butter onto the scone before slathering on some lovely, thick jam. I’m a classic girl and love eating scones with my super easy, microwave strawberry jam (you really should try it) and fresh cream. However the list is endless. Any spread is good on scones – honey, golden syrup, maple syrup or even just really good butter. Little people love chocolate spread on their scones.

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Baci,

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What they are saying about this recipe…

“This is the first time I’ve ever made scones that rise! I’ve been trying for years. Thank you. This recipe really works for me. Made some date ones and plain. Your tips are what I’ve needed all this time.”

“Easiest and most delicious scone that can be prepared in half an hour. Very impressed.”

Best Scones

This is the Best Scone Recipe I have ever tried and I want to share it with you.With this recipe you can make light and fluffy scones every time!

This recipe can be scaled up or down with no adverse effects.

4.1 from 22 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings:9 large scones

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

• 3 cups self raising flour (no self raising flour? see notes)3 cups self raising flour (no self raising flour? see notes)
• pinch salt pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons (60grams or 2oz) butter3 tablespoons (60grams or 2oz) butter
• 1 1/4 cups milk plus extra1 1/4 cups milk plus extra

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 230°C/450°F
• Sift flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. It's fine even better if some of the butter is not completely rubbed in. Leave little pebbles of butter.
• Stir in the milk with a flat bladed knife. Depending on the weather and your flour you may need a spoonful or two more of  milk. The dough should be sticky.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for a brief 30 seconds. (Hint: count quickly to 30). Pat into a flat round about 3 centimetres thick.
• Cut with a floured cutter pressing straight down and not twisting. Place on baking paper lined tray close together.
• Bake in the hottest part of the preheated oven. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
• Remove scones from the oven and wrap in a clean teatowel. This will keep them soft and tender.

Notes

Measurements

If you don't use cups the ingredients are as follows:

• 450 grams self raising flour (no self raising flour see below)
• pinch salt
• 60 grams butter
• 310mls milk plus extra if needed

To make Self Raising Flour

• In Australia to make self raising flour you will need 2 teaspoons of baking powder to each cup of plain flour.
• However in the United States, you will only need 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of  plain (all purpose) flour.
•  In other countries, please check your brand of baking powder.

Here are the 8 secrets I have learnt over the years.

• Preheat the oven to a very hot temperature - 230°C/450°F
• Start with cold ingredients and keep everything cold.
• Grate the cold (even frozen) butter into the flour and rub in but leave little "pebbles" of butter for extra flakiness
• Add the cold milk all at once and mix quick with the blade of a dinner knife.
• Turn out on a VERY lightly floured board and knead briefly...by that I mean count quickly to 30 and stop.
• Resist adding more flour - this dough is meant to be sticky.
• Use a floured cutter and DON'T twist the cutter. Simply press down to cut. (Hint: use a floured glass if you don't have a scone cutter)
• As soon as the scones come out of the oven wrap in a clean tea towel to retain the moisture.

Do you want variations? Here's 10 different ways to use this recipe.

1. a spoonful of sugar.
2. a handful of dried fruit.
3. grated rind of an orange or lemon.
4. a teaspoon of spice like cinnamon.
5. chopped walnuts or other nut that you like.
6. chocolate chips - white or dark.
7. spoon the batter onto hot, stewed fruit and bake to make a delicious cobbler.
8. cheese and herbs for a savory scone.
9. sun dried tomato with olives and cheese.
10. substitute gluten free flour for a gluten free scone.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1.9mg

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Thank you for sharing!