There are so many scone recipes out there, but this one from a French-trained baker is the real deal – and it tastes even better if you add one key ingredient
Scone recipes might appear tricky to master, but with the right ingredients, they’ll turn out “perfect” every time, according to Danielle Ellis, a French-trained baker behind the popular baking blog Severn Bites. She explained: “There are so many scone recipes out there, and I hesitate to say that mine is the best, reports the Express.
“But it’s one that I’ve tried and tested and it always comes out well. Just bear in mind my tips to make the best scones you have ever made.”
One of Danielle’s most crucial pieces of advice is to incorporate one specific ingredient – buttermilk. She revealed: “The ingredient to seek out is buttermilk. Once I started making scones with buttermilk, they got far better.”
The expert baker pointed out that it’s readily available at numerous farmers’ markets and most supermarkets, and has an impressively long shelf life. The preparation time for these scones is roughly 15 minutes, with a cooking time of just 12 minutes in the oven.
Danielle highlighted that this recipe offers flexibility, allowing you to create either sweet or savoury versions simply by tweaking the ingredients.
Scones recipe
Ingredients (serves six)
- 225 grams plain flour, Type 45 flour is ideal.
- 8g baking powder
- 45 grams of butter salted or unsalted
- One large egg
- 125 millilitres of buttermilk
- A pinch salt
- 25 grams of caster sugar, for sweet version
- 50 grams raisins optional, for sweet version
- 100 grams of mature cheese, for savoury version
- 5g smoked paprika, optional for savoury version
Method
Begin by preheating your oven to 200C/Gas 6, dust your baking tray with flour and set it aside. Pour the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Chop the butter into cubes and add it to the flour.
Use your fingers to rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
If you’re whipping up sweet scones, stir in the sugar. For savoury scones, mix in 75g of cheese and smoked paprika.
Next, crack in the egg and combine the ingredients with a fork. The mixture should start to clump together.
Gradually add buttermilk, just enough to create a soft dough that’s not too sticky, ensuring no flour is left in the bowl. You may not need all the buttermilk listed in the recipe – the goal is to achieve a soft dough where every bit of flour is incorporated.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface and gently shape it into a rectangle about 2.5cm deep. Avoid pressing down on it.
Using a smooth 60mm cutter, press down to cut through the dough without twisting. Lift the scones and place them gently on the baking tray.
Don’t fret over any cracks. Reshape the remaining dough and continue cutting until all the mixture is used.
Beat the extra egg in a small dish and use a pastry brush to glaze the top of each scone. If you’re making savoury scones, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Pop the tray in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the scones are a light golden brown. The exact timing will depend on your oven.
