I know there are already lots on scones on the message board, and I do apologise if this is a boring topic but how do those legendary ladies (and gents) whip up a tray of scones at a moments notice with the scones always coming out wonderfully, do it? Is it the recipe, the oven, tried and true handy hints, lots of practice? Just made some Edmonds cheese scones and I dont think they are cooked properly inside, but did them for at least 18 mins. Oven not hot enough? And also they said only to lightly flour oven tray, so I didn't grease it. The scones were pale on the bottom and stuck! Oops. I have made the cream and lemonade scones and they were great, but these latest ones, not so much. Thanks.
dibble35,
May 9, 10:17am
Im with you, i cant make scones. I've tried a few times and the best ones I made (which were still far from perfect) were when I followed very detailed instructions on how little to mix the dough. It was basically running a knife thru the ingredients rather than any sort of mixing or kneading.
fifie,
May 9, 3:17pm
My way, hot oven heat tray up to, when oven hot mix scones just enough to combine, onto a floured board shape quickly cut sprinkle flour on hot tray put scones on touching each other.Cook 10-12 mins till risen and golden, spread out clean tea towel put scones on half cover. Always nice moist scones.
petal1955,
May 9, 3:18pm
Well I will tell you the secret to making excellent scones. First heat your oven up to 225 C and put in your baking tray that you are going to cook them on. then measure out your flour and baking powder a pinch of salt and some grated butter doesnt matter if its hard grateing in makes in easier and work the buttter together with your fingertips till it resembles course bread crumbs.if making cheese scones I add a 1.2 tsp of dry mustard powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper not too much. then once the flour look like course bread crumbs. add grated cheeses and use 1/2 quantity of milk and 1/2 quanitity of water (This IMHO makes a lighter fluffier scone) and mix with a knife not your hands as they will be wearm and you need to work quickly. once its mixed and starts to form a ball. tip out onto a floured surface and pat out to make a rectangle and then I use a fish slice to cut into piec3s.then transfer to your hot baking tray and cook for 12-15 mins till golden brown on top You can pop some extra grated cheese on top before cooking.The secret tis put on a hot baking tray. the bottoms start to brown straight away.also the milk/water is the best and Ive been making theses for 50 odd years !
sarahb5,
May 9, 7:21pm
Part of the secret to getting them to rise is not mucking about with them for too long - the quicker you make them the better. I prefer to cut my scones rather than use a cutter which means you get them into the oven quicker. My mum was a great scone maker especially if she had any milk that had gone sour - mine aren't as good but they're getting better - practice makes perfect.
westward1,
May 9, 10:48pm
I pride myself on my cooking, I love it, and rarely I have a disaster. But scones, meet Mrs Useless. But I will follow your advice Petal to the letter. Thank you for sharing.
poppit15,
May 10, 12:42am
Here is a recipe I found on a NZ herald page a few weeks ago. Made 4 times been a success every time. Called Cheese Puffs but were exactly like a scone. I didn't put in bacon or onion.
1/2 cup milk 1 egg 2 cups grated cheese 1 cups self raising flour - i used normal flour with 1 heaped teaspoon BP
Oven 200 Combine egg and milk -add remaining ingredients
Baking paper - drop large spoonful Bake 20 minutes
deb8888,
May 10, 1:22am
To make good scones. Have oven 200dg, hot and ready to go. put the butter, milk and sugar together and put into the microwave and heat till warm. stirr to disolve together. tip needed amount /consistancy into your flour . BP and cheese . make a fairly wet brew. mix with a knife till comes tog, just a few stirrs. heating of the milk etc seems to give them a good start. you don t have to use all of the milk mix. or if short add a bit more cold milk. dont roll out, but drop balls onto lightly floured cold tray, off spoon. top with a bit more cheese. can be literally made in 5 min. have been doing this for years.
daarhn,
May 10, 2:27am
Fastest way making scones when someone pulls up in the drive is in the food processor. Wack that oven on high then quickly gather your ingredients. (Use a basic scone mix). Flour with baking powder, salt butter straight from the fridge into processor, pulse until breadcrumbs. Tip into bowl, add enough full cream milk or can soda (minus baking powder) and cut with back of butter knife until just mixed through- should be a little sticky to touch. Tip onto floured bench top. Pat out thick round shape. Slice into pieces. Onto baking paper then straight into oven that should have preheated. Within 15 mins scones are ready.
While baking prepare the tea pot, tea leaves, milk, cream conserves. Lay the cloth bring out your fancy tea cups.
For sweet savoury variations, add after butter pulsed, in mixing bowl. Tin baked beans and tasty cheese in the mix makes for a gorgeous orange savoury scones. Also makes for a fast pizza base or scrolls if friends drop in lunchtime.
Scone making is less than 10 mins from turning on oven to going into oven then another 15 mins to cook. Enough time for your guests to settle and marvel at your ability to whip something up in minutes. I've never had a failure to making scones this way.
grouch,
May 10, 4:09pm
The ones I made recently were just like these. I think an egg in the milk is the answer and dont need or get your mixture too dry. The mixture should be wet and sticky and just drop spoonfuls onto your tray. Dont overcook.
cgvl,
May 10, 6:07pm
like rexavier, I put all the dry ingredients into the food processor, along with the butter and pulse until like breadcrumbs (if making date ones I add those too at this stage). I then slowly add the milk until the mix comes together. Tip onto a floured surface give it a very quick knead, just to bring it all together in a ball. I then use the rolling pin to roll it out and cut using a glass or cutters. Oven preheated to 200-225 C and put the tray as close to the top of the oven as possible (without risen scones touching element). Cook 7-10 mins. 3cups plain flour 3 heaped tsps. baking powder butter (I just cut a chunk off, probably about 100g) dates if using about a handful milk to mix and a pinch of salt.
linette1,
May 10, 6:10pm
Great tips, especially not to roll out.
daarhn,
May 10, 9:54pm
over mixing and handling seems to be the biggest issue for 'rock' scones. Treat them like a muffin mix- just mixed through.
How do folk pronounce scones? short stop on the sco or long sco sound as in lone?
rainrain1,
May 10, 10:16pm
Short stop on the sco. the only way :-)))
dibble35,
May 11, 12:38am
I pronounce it the first way, is the long Scone (rhymes with loan) english or American?
deanna14,
May 11, 2:59am
I have no issue making scones and don't even use a recipe or measure (sorry guys). But interestingly when I did a baking course at polytech, the chef recommended resting the scones on the cold tray for 10 minutes before baking, allowing the flour to rest which allows the gluten/gliadin to relax. Something one does when making bread too. I had always been one to rush them into the oven. Then I thought about how come, when you make muffins the 2nd batch into the oven always rises better than the 1st batch? Well that's what happens to me anyway. So now I rest my scones away from the heat on the table and have to say it either makes no difference or it does make them raise higher.
I also beat an egg into the milk and add a tsp of BP per cup of self raising flour, bar one. A scone mix should lean towards damp rather than dry. It is better to need to add a little flour than add more milk. I would never use a rolling pin. Pat gently and don't be inclined to pat till the dough till it's too low.
And cheese scones don't need any butter. In fact if you don't want any butter in the plain mix, it's just not nessesary. But I'm a purest and unless they are cheese, they get butter in the mix.
wine-o-clock,
May 11, 3:24am
i have never made scones the traditional way since discovering how to make them perfectly with flour/cream/lemonade/sultanas.- These are much lighter and faster to make than the traditional way
Interesting, Scone (con) cause we are (mainly) british descendants.
sla11,
May 11, 10:17pm
Petal1955 - beaut cheese scones made following your method - didn't worry about mixing after grating butter straight out of the fridge, just quick flick thro' with knife! And made sure I didn't grab the tray once it was heated! My scones just keep getting better! Friend of mine uses beaten egg plus half cup of oil instead of butter - that works well and with price of butter a good tip.
sarahb5,
May 11, 10:55pm
But even then that depends which part of Britain you're from
sarahb5,
May 11, 10:58pm
And here's another scone related question - jam first or cream first?
samsnan,
May 11, 11:07pm
Definitely jam goes on first then a splodge of cream.
deanna14,
May 11, 11:15pm
Oh, and scone - on.
petal1955,
May 12, 12:27am
Pleased you had good results !
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