WESTERN PRODUCER — When I retired from the farmers market last year, I had a brigade of home bakers asking for my scone recipe. Two things: I have several recipes, and, if you don’t have the technique the recipe won’t be successful. These are all my tips and some of my tried and true recipes.
What is the secret? Make them by hand, not the food processor. And don’t use too much sugar.
Unbleached all-purpose flour works perfectly. The butter needs to be cold but not hard. It is impossible to properly work it when it is too hard. Use only fingertips and flip it between the thumb and fingertips. This creates a thin sheet of buttery dough. These thin sheets create flakiness in the baked scone. If the butter has become too soft while you do this then put the butter and dry ingredient mixture in the refrigerator for 10 or 15 minutes before adding the liquid ingredients. If you don’t do this, the scone will be more cakey than flakey.
Gently stir in the wet ingredients with a fork. With your hand, gently work the dough in the bowl so it comes together. Pull out the ball of dough and place on a lightly floured countertop. If there is more flour mixture in the bowl just add a bit more cream but not too much. Toss it until hydrated and add to the dough on the countertop.
Shaping has a few variations. Roll into a circle to cut into six or eight pieces. Roll into a square for eight pieces or roll into a rectangle for 12 pieces.
After shaping and cutting, the scones can be baked or frozen unbaked.
If frozen unbaked they can go straight to the oven from the freezer. These are nice for fresh baking for Christmas or any special occasion. Generally, they will bake in about 20 minutes. Add an extra five minutes if frozen, but you can tell when they are done by the aroma in the kitchen.
A perfectly done scone will be lightly browned on top and on the bottom. The kitchen will be filled with the gentle aroma of baking.
Saskatoon and white chocolate cream scones
This was my best seller at the farmers market by far.
- 2 c. all-purpose flour 500 mL
- 2 tbsp. sugar 30 mL
- 1 tbsp. baking powder 15 mL
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter 75 mL
- 2/3 c. cream 150 mL
- 1 egg
- 3/4 c. frozen or fresh saskatoons 175 mL
- scant 2/3 c. large white chocolate chips 150 mL
Place a rack in the middle position in the oven and preheat to 375F (190 C).
Whisk the egg and the cream together.
Whisk the dry ingredients together. Quickly, working with your finger tips or a pastry blender, work in the flour until a coarse mixture forms. Stir in berries and white chocolate.
Pour the egg and cream over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together. If all the flour is not incorporated add a little bit more cream. Still in the bowl gently knead the mixture until it comes together.
Pour onto a lightly floured countertop. Pat out to 1 1/2 inch (2.5–4 cm) thickness and fold over on itself and pat to 1 1/2 inch (2.5–4 cm) thickness again.
Cut into pieces as you wish. At this point they can be laid out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and frozen to bake later. Will keep up to four months in the freezer unbaked.
Lemon blueberry scones
Use the saskatoon and white chocolate scone recipe. Substitute blueberries for the saskatoons, omit the white chocolate and add the grated zest of one lemon.
Sugar plum scones
- 2 c. all-purpose flour 500 mL
- 1 tbsp. baking powder 15 mL
- 3 tbsp. sugar 45 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1 c. chopped plums 50 mL
- 2 tbsp. coarse raw sugar 30 mL
Pour the cream mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together. If all the flour is not incorporated add a little bit more cream. Gently knead the mixture until it comes together.
Pour onto a lightly floured countertop. Pat out to 1 1/2 inch (2.5-4 cm) thickness and fold over on itself and pat to 1 1/2 inch (2.5–4 cm) thickness again.
Cut into pieces as you wish. At this point they can be laid out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and frozen to bake later. Will keep up to four months in the freezer unbaked.
Pumpkin spice
- 2 c. flour 500 mL
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar 30 mL
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
- 1 tsp. cinnamon 2.5 mL
- 1/4 tsp. cloves 1 mL
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 2 mL
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 mL
- 1 tbsp. baking powder 15 mL
- 5 tbsp. cold unsaltedbutter 75 mL
- 1/2 c. pumpkin puree 125 mL
- 1/3 c. milk 75 mL
- 1 egg
Optional vanilla glaze:
- 1/2 c. icing sugar 125 mL
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla 2 mL
- 1 tbsp. cream 15 mL
Measure dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine.
Whisk milk, egg and pumpkin puree in a two cup (500 mL) measuring cup. Add to dry ingredients and mix with a fork. Lightly work the dough to incorporate all the liquid and hydrate the dry ingredients.
Pour mixture onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead gently a couple of times. Roll to 1 1/2 inch thick (4 cm) and fold over on itself. Roll again. Cut as desired.
Bake at 375 F (190 C).
Cheese and bacon scones
These scones will be less flaky due to not using butter. There is enough fat in the cheese to keep them tender.
- 2 c. flour 500 mL
- 1 tbsp. baking powder 15 mL
- 1 tsp. sugar 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 c. grated cheddar cheese 250 mL
- 1/2 c. crisped and chopped bacon 125 mL
- 1 c. whole milk or buttermilk 250 mL
- 1 tbsp. cream 15 mL
Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper together in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in cheese and bacon. Make a well in the centre.
Add the milk, mix quickly with a fork. Turn out onto a floured bench and quickly shape into a 1 1/2 inch (three cm) thick square. Cut into four and then again diagonally, making eight scones, and put onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with cream. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
