Follow this basic method for making scones:
- Cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Make a well in the center of these ingredients.
- Add liquids with a few swift strokes (6 - 10 strokes).
- Gather the dough with your hands and shape into a loose, crumbly ball.
- Flatten dough into a 3/4 inch disk, cut into wedges.
- Bake in a cookie sheet according to recipe.
Tips:
- Work quickly.
- Keep the butter cold.
- The less you touch the dough, the better it will be.
- About cutting the butter into the dry ingredients: I cheat here - it's much easier to incorporate the butter into the flour with your hands (instead of using a pastry cutter or knifes) but the heat from your hands will melt the butter, so work quickly and freeze the mixture for a few minutes when you are done to keep the butter hard.
- Pour the liquids into the flour mixture, not the other way around.
- Stir the liquid into the flour mixture with as few swift strokes as possible. The dough will still have dry spots and crumble, that's okay.
- Pat the dough gently into a disk, don't compress the dough.
Try these scone recipes:
Raspberry Almond Scones
Spiced Pumpkin Scones