We really like scones, I am not very accomplished at making nice light or even crunchy ones. They are usually very heavy so I make muffins instead usually. But it got me thinking what varieties do you make., I am going to try Helens cheese scones & I try date & orange but what others do you make? Thanks

I tried copying a recipe I have into this forum but it wouldn't accept it, so here's the link to Welsh Cakes which I enjoy making from time to time:

[www.stuff.co.nz]

Years ago a woman I worked with gave me a couple of tips on scone making, she had made scones everyday for years for the workers on their farm. She bought some into to work one day and they were gorgeous, like you, mine always turned out heavy and unappealing so she gave me her way of making them. Rule number one is that the dough should only be stirred with a butter knife, rule two, the mixture should be pretty wet - it will look too wet to roll. Rule three, do not overmix as soon as the flour and milk are combined tip the mixture onto a floured bench, rule four, do not knead or roll out just pat the ball of dough around on the floured surface until it comes together, it will be a sticky mixture, then pat it out to the thickness you want, usually about 4cm thick. . She would then just cut into squares, diamonds or wedges with a sharp knife and put on a floured scone tray (or heavy oven tray), cook in a hot oven 220 for 12 - 15 minutes. I've never looked back, this method works for me with any variations I've tried too. Have an experiment and see how you go.

PS You can cut in rounds or shapes with a cutter dipped into flour. Don't overwork the scraps when you reform to cut more.

Danube Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
... Rule number one is that the dough should
> only be stirred with a butter knife, rule two, the
> mixture should be pretty wet - it will look too
> wet to roll. Rule three, do not overmix as soon as
> the flour and milk are combined tip the mixture
> onto a floured bench, rule four, do not knead or
> roll out just pat the ball of dough around on the
> floured surface until it comes together, it will
> be a sticky mixture, then pat it out to the
> thickness you want, usually about 4cm thick. . She
> would then just cut into squares, diamonds or
> wedges with a sharp knife and put on a floured
> scone tray (or heavy oven tray), cook in a hot
> oven 220 for 12 - 15 minutes. ...

That is exactly how my grandmother taught me to make scones and it always worked perfectly.

Agree with your colleague Danube - the trick is minimal 'working' of the dough, hence using a knife to mix, and a moist but not sloppy mixture. I was also taught to put them as close together on the tray as you can without risking them sticking together while cooking.

Regards,

Barbara Anne

If you still have no luck, here is a different style of scone which is a bit less temperamental. They're a Dean Brettschneider recipe and I've been making these for years and they're lovely. Not quite as dry as a traditional scone and with freezing, a touch time consuming, but well worth it. I've got the book the recipe was originally published in, and it calls for high grade flour, which I see the online version doesn't, so I've noted it in the recipe. After they've been cut, you can put them in a bag in the freezer to bring out on short notice. Just rest and cook.

[www.stuff.co.nz]

Blueberry Scones

Makes 8-10 scones

300g high grade flour

4tsp / 20g baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

70g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

120g blueberries

330ml cream

sugar (topping)

1. Lightly brush oil around the inside of a 20cm-diameter spring form cake tin without a base and set on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

2. Sieve flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt into a large bowl.

3. Add cream and vanilla essence and mix for 10 seconds.

4. Add blueberries and use hand to mix until dough is just formed.

5. Place scone mixture into cake ring and pat down and then pace into freezer until scone mixture is firm.

7. Bring out of freezer and cut scone mixture into 8 wedges.

8. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. During this time, heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

10. Coat scone dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (raw sugar or coffee sugar crystals work best).

12. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

13. Remove from oven and place on wire tray to cool. Serve for afternoon tea or for breakfast.

I agree that the secret is a moist mixture and minimal handling.
There is also the lemonade scone, which I've found works well to make a light scone.
[www.chelsea.co.nz]

I pride myself on my cheese scones and have ended up with two variations, both great but different in style.

The first is what I think of as a traditional scone, it has 3/4 cup milk to 2 cups flour and 1 cup grated cheese (it also has about 40g butter and 2 1/2 tsp bp)
This makes a mixture that I make as per above tips i.e. mixing the dough quickly with a knife, taking care not to overr-mix etc...
The dough is moist but able to be patted into a rectangle and cut into shapes and then baked.
These scones are substantial in texture, and and easily cut in half. They are what I think of as a traditional scone like my mother used to make. They have a full mouth feel.


Cheese scone variation number two has 1 1/4 cups milk to 2 cups flour and 2 cups grated cheese (still 40g butter and 2 1/2 tsp bp)
This mixture is way too wet and sticky to pat into a shape so instead I scoop out mounds with a large spoon and drop them onto the tray. They come out of the oven as golden crisp mounds. These scones are so light, they have a great crunchy crust and a light soft fluffy inner. The inside isn't as substantial as the first variation due to the increased liquid and higher fat ratio. These are obviously less economical as have double the amount of cheese but they are probably my current preference.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2018 11:22PM by helen.

I have a friend in Scotland who is a great scone baker. Recently she was asked to make a batch for some wind farm workers. Black pudding and apple. Apparently they went down really well.
Marie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2018 11:45PM by mariee.

What great advice, a challenge here for me. Now what varieties do you make besides cheese, I’m trying to think of something different.

Ideas.

Add spring or red onion, sun dried tomato, gherkins, ham or cooked bacon to cheese scones to become savoury scones.

Feta and Spinach scones

Apple sultana (or raisins or cranberries) and cinnamon

Date and orange - use zest and juice of orange.

Savoury or sweet pinwheel scones

I've made all sorts of scones over the years, besides the usual cheese, savoury, date, date & orange, etc. One of my personal favourites is pumpkin scones. There's also sweet potato scones, vegetable scones and spicy fruit scones. I've made cherry scones, cheese & herb scones, date & apple scones, savoury potato scones, and baby scones...

I made and tried many different scone varieties but for me you can't go past a good date scone.

I have added finely chopped rocket or parsley to cheese scones...

And apple to sultana scones.

My Mum used to make a caramel coconut scone that I loved as a child with a pat of creamed butter and brown sugar on top which melted and caramelised as the scone cooked. Not the healthiest option!!

J1 - would you share your recipe for pumpkin scones? I loved them as a child, but haven't made them for years.

I made Strawberry & Dark Chocolate scones last week - they were amazing warm and the chocolate was a little gooey.
Didn't have any cardamom though so used Cinnamon instead. Here's a link to the recipe.
[www.odt.co.nz]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2018 11:48AM by Sandra Welsh.

Hi Karena, last time I made them I used this recipe [www.nigella.com]
I used brown sugar, added some salt and also 1/2 tspn mixed spice. It's not the perfect recipe but is better than others I've tried.

I have a sweet potato scone recipe which makes lovely scones and I plan to try it with pumpkin instead next time...


Oh, I should add that I always try to use a good (dryish) buttercup as the pumpkin component...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2018 04:05AM by J1.

I love date scones, but plenty of dates
Also love plain scones with my homemade strawb or rasp jam and whipped cream

Plan to try soon a Dish recipe for rhubarb scones w jam/cream as my berry jam will go well with the rhubarb
Should be good

Well I have met the challenge decided to try both varieties of Helens with great success so thank you. Hubby says when is a scone not a scone when I read the varieties out to him. We certainly have a great very different ideas to try out on friends. Thank you all for your inputs.

Heh, Lyn V, your hubby saying "when is a scone not a scone" made me think of the Pumpkin & Ginger Scone in the Foodlovers website recipes which I made in 2010 and felt was decidedly NOT a scone but cake, such that I felt compelled to add a comment to the recipe [www.foodlovers.co.nz]

Lynn which of the cheese scones do you prefer - the traditional or the double cheese?

We enjoyed both but the original won over.

These are light, flaky and fluffy scones.

3 cups (450g) white flour
6 tspns baking powder
1 & 1/3 cups coconut milk
80g cold butter, cut into pieces
1 tbspn sugar

Put butter, sugar, flour and baking powder into a food processor and pulse until butter is worked in; don't overwork. Tip into a large bowl. Make a well in the mixture, pour the milk in and stir until a dough is formed. Gently knead dough a few times just to bring it together. Transfer to a floured surface and roll or pat out to about 2cm thick. Cut into scones. Brush tops with a little milk if desired. Bake 15 minutes at 190°C. Serve with jam and cream if desired.

These are based on a scone recipe from a website called ilovecoconutcream which is no longer available on the internet.