Co-opted to make 24 scones - aaargh!

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mazzy1, Oct 29, 8:54pm
My mother had the most perfect, light, fluffy ssones this side of the black stump. Unfortunately I haven't inherited the scone DNA. I swear the ones I have made in the past could have been used for hockey pucks or chocks at the Aero Club. Now I have been volunteered (thanks, darling) to make two dozen for a Devonshire Tea. Gulp. There goes my social standing in the community. lol.Any tips! And are they able to be made the day before!

kinna54, Oct 29, 9:03pm
Make them fresh on the day.
I just use the Edmonds book guide.
Standard rule is 1 cup flour to 2 tsps baking powder.
Always mix with a knife.
I prefer to use marg to make scones, but if using butter grate it in, or melt it, and add with the milk mixing with a knife, no over mixing.
Preheat oven 220c but put scones on a cold floured tray, then into the pre-heated oven.
I haven't inherited the scone DNA either but find by melting the butter/marg, or grating and rubbing in, the mix is more easily combined and not as tough. good luck!
PS keep the mix quie wet/sticky,rather than on the dry floury side.

mazzy1, Oct 29, 9:09pm
Thanks kinna - I'll give that a bash. I have a couple of weeks to practice, thank goodness!

babytears, Oct 29, 9:09pm
Why not try the lemonade scone recipe. roll out mixture as usual and use a large glass to cut them out to get perfect wee round scones

mazzy1, Oct 29, 9:39pm
Have been trawling through the gazillion scone recipes on this MB - there are plenty of discussions about scones, that's for sure! Thanks for your help, everybody.

rainrain1, Oct 29, 9:42pm
Buy some Edmonds Classic Scone Mix and follow the directions on the packet.it makes a nice scone

duckmoon, Oct 29, 10:11pm
The two things I do are:
1. grate the butter, easier to rub in.
And 2. Use double the baking powder . Two teaspoons to each cup of flour

rainrain1, Oct 29, 10:14pm
sorry kinna54 that was meant for mazzy:-)A slip of the old finger

kuaka, Oct 29, 10:15pm
Phew!I am so pleased to know I'm not the only one who can't make scones.Mine have been called "rock cakes" and hubby even suggested one day that maybe we could use them to build a rockery in the garden.And talking to my sister (in the UK) one day she confessed that she can't make them either, so maybe it's something lacking in the genes.

margyr, Oct 29, 10:37pm
the bought scone mix is easy as, but if making from scratch the trick is to not work (knead) it too much, use a knife to mix it and flip out onto flour softly shape and then cut out.

mazzy1, Oct 29, 11:17pm
ha ha - my sister is absolutely useless at scones as well. Maybe that DNA misses a whole generation!

mazzy1, Oct 29, 11:18pm
I confess to being a bit of a 'from scratch' girl, so will be trying this way first. How thick should they be when they go onto the tray!

joybells2, Oct 29, 11:24pm
Try the Idiot proof scone recipe on here, not being rude lol.You cant go wrong with them.

rainrain1, Oct 29, 11:27pm
I went wrong with them, I don't like that recipe one bit

elliehen, Oct 29, 11:31pm
Gently pat the dough from a three-cup-of-flour recipe into a square about 25 x 25 cm and cut into 16 scones.

rainrain1, Oct 29, 11:36pm
I'd be more inclined to make 12,

mazzy1, Oct 29, 11:39pm
so about 1.5cm thick, then!

rainrain1, Oct 29, 11:42pm
Sorry inches here.1 + 1/2 inches almost

rainrain1, Oct 29, 11:46pm
Approx 3+1/2 cm

elliehen, Oct 29, 11:54pm
Those would be hulking shearers' sizes, rainrain.This is for a Devonshire Tea, so they'll be split with cream and jam.

I'll stay with my 4 x 4 recommendation.

rainrain1, Oct 30, 12:12am
hulking shearers!

kinna54, Oct 30, 12:25am
Well I only get around 9 whole scones out of the Edmonds 3 cup recipe so I would either increase the ratios to make a 4cup mix, or double the mix, I assume for Devonshires you want 24 halves! maybe more.
For Devonshires you want a scone that is reasonably high, but not too big across, if that makes sense, so 1.5-2cm rolled out would be about right. I normally use a round "tubby style" glass as a cutter (remember to flour it well) so that will give you a size guide.

elliehen, Oct 30, 12:26am
Big strong farm workers who want big square scones, without having to pick up two at a time ;)

rainrain1, Oct 30, 12:30am
You'd be the biggest b***h on the message board

mazzy1, Oct 30, 12:34am
ladies, ladies - let's keep a sense of decorum here. I appreciate all the helpful suggestions very much. I realise we can't always agree on some of the ideas. lol