Apple and Cinnamon Sourdough Scone Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good scone? ›

But frozen grated butter is the real key to success. Like with pie crust, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients to create crumbs. The butter/flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets create a flaky center while keeping the edges crumbly and crisp.

With chilled dough, you'll have pockets of butter in the dough (this is a good thing!) that create a super-flaky, oh-so-delicious end result. For extra precaution, it helps to chill the dough again before it's baked. If you are using fruit, make sure to drain it well: Be sure to drain your fruit very well.

As well as the raising agent in the flour, baking powder adds a bit of lift to scones. Baking powder is a convenient choice as it is a ready-mixed leavening agent, generally made of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar (usually some cornflour too).

Don't overwork the dough!

When the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed, try to not overwork the dough, it makes the scones very tough and quite dry. Even if the dough looks crumbly, that's a good thing! It allows for those air pockets to help increase the fluffiness.

The best scones have a crisp, slightly caramelized exterior and a tender, buttery, just-sweet interior. They can be dressed up with a glaze, studded with fruit or nuts, or gently spiced. Whichever route you go, we're here to help you achieve scone perfection. These are F&W food editor Kelsey Youngman's favorite tips.

Use all-purpose flour for a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely, both in and out of the oven. To make more delicate, lower-rising, cake-like scones, substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, using just enough to bring the dough together.

To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.

Large Egg - The egg helps bind the ingredients together and increases the richness and flavour. Unsalted butter - Has to be cold to create flaky layers within the scone.

Why should you stir batter for scones with a knife and not a spoon? You aren't stirring it, you're cutting the butter into the flour to coat, or shorten, the gluten strands with fat. This makes your scones tender.

What happens if you don't put baking powder in scones? ›

If you used plain flour they might be a bit biscuity! They'll still taste good but might be thin. I accidentally used plain flour and just 1tsp of baking powder last week. Thin and more biscuity but still good with cream and jam!

It is far better that the scone mixture is on the wet side, sticking to your fingers, as the scones will rise better. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm (1/2 – ¾ inch).

The crumblier the dough, the crumblier the resulting scones, so be sure not to add too much milk. You might not even need it all. I say roll the dough out, and using a rolling pin makes me feel all domestic goddess, but the be completely honest, you can just press the dough out onto a floured surface.

You could make the dough in the morning and cut out the scones and refrigerate them before baking. However the scones contain bicarbonate of soda, which acts quickly when it comes into contact with liquid and it will lose some of its raising power as it stands. Consequently the scones may not be quite as light.

Remove the baked scones from the oven, and cut them up.

Too hot, and the scones tend to crumble around the edges. Too cool, same thing: they crumble at the edge. Just right – warm, but not piping hot – you can slice through scones with minimal crumbling.

Unlike when you're baking biscuits, when you're baking scones it's a good idea to place the scones close together – this encourages them to rise upwards, rather than outwards. As for that shine, Michelle says, “If you want a matt finish on top, milk is the best (and most traditional) wash.

Scoop out clotted cream and jams onto your plate, enough for one scone. Break apart a small bite-sized portion of scone with your hands or if using a knife, cut the scone horizontally. Use a knife to slather on cream and jam onto the broken-off piece of scone. The bite-sized piece of scone should be eaten in 1-2 bites.

Placing a dough in a cool oven that then slowly heats up actually affects the rising agent. Make sure your oven is at the right temperature you will be baking the scones at before you put them in. Also having an oven that is too hot or too cold will affect the baking of your scones immensely.

Q: Can you use margarine instead of butter? A: Yes, you can use hard block-type margarine but don't use spreadable margarine since it has too much water and will change the texture of your scones. I will tell you, my preference is real dairy butter but margarine is a great vegan option.