English Scones are not too difficult to make but there are a couple of tips that help me make a better scone.
1. Use a pastry cutter if you have one, especially if you have warm hands. Or else use only your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour. After adding in the rest of the ingredients, do not over mix. Stop when the dough just comes together. I usually pat the dough together instead of using a rolling pin.
2. Use cold butter.
3. Flour the cutter well. Press the cutter straight down and up. Twisting the cutter will impact the amount of rise you get on your scones.
Recipe from MoLaLa Cook .
Ingredients: (makes about 6-8 scones)
Cake Flour 200 g
Unsalted Butter 50 g
Sugar 30 g
Baking Powder 6 g
Whole egg 1, beaten
Egg Yolk 1
Milk 20 g
Yogurt 10 g
Raisin 20 g (optional)
Egg yolk (for egg wash), beaten lightly
Sift flour into a large bowl.
Cut butter into cubes and add to flour. Rub with fingertips till you get a mixture resembling breadcrumbs (I use a pastry cutter).
Add in sugar & baking powder. Stir lightly with a spatula.
Add in beaten egg, yogurt & milk. Mix till well combined.
Wrap dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 170C.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
Press raisins gently to the top of the dough. Cut dough into 2 and place one on top of the other and press down to flatten slightly. Repeat 4-5 more times. This will help the those beautiful fluffy layers after baking.
Pat dough with hand to flatten to about 1 inch thick. Cut out scones with a well floured biscuit or scone cutter. Gather dough scraps together and flatten lightly. Cut out more scones.
Brush lightly to remove excess flour. Transfer to a lined baking pan and brush with lightly beaten egg yolk.
Bake for 20 mins in the middle rack of the oven.
Cool slightly and serve.
