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Whenever I’m craving a little something savoury, a little flakey, and am too lazy to whip up anything too fancy, scones are always my go to. They’re extremely easy to make and you always have the ingredients on hand. Scones are also very versatile. Some of my favourite scone flavours include parmesan and black pepper, old bay seasoning, dried dill or rosemary, fresh grated cheddar and minced garlic.  |
| Delicious cheddar scones |
There are a billion different recipes out there for making scones, so what are the main differences?
Butter versus Shortening
Shortening usually leads to a more flakey texture in your scones, but I find if you are able to maintain your chunks of butter in the mixture, your scones are just as flakey. The butter also adds richer flavour that shortening just can’t compete with. However, if you’re out of butter and shortening’s all you got, then go for it.
Cream of tartar versus baking powder
Using a mixture of baking powder and baking soda tends to leave a very slight bitter aftertaste. With all the add ins however, I don’t often notice it, so if you’re short on the cream of tartar, go ahead with the substitute. However, cream of tartar is preferred.
Cream versus milk
The cream lends to a slightly richer flavour, but I don’t find it necessary. If you use butter, I find it allows for an adequately rich flavour. However, for a fluffier scone, you could substitute buttermilk.
Eggs or no eggs?
Eggs supposedly act as a leavener in the scone, creating a lighter scone. So if that’s what you’re aiming for, rather than the more traditionally dense scone, eggs are the answer. It is also said that it helps to extend the shelf life of the scones, although I’m not sure exactly how accurate that fact is.
This is one of my favourite base recipes for making scones. It creates a flakey, but solid scone that is great plain or with delicious add ins. I got this from Singapore Shiok.
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| Make sweet or savoury scones with this super versatile scone recipe. |
Savoury Scones
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 2/3 cup chilled butter
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- Additional milk or egg wash
Optional add ins
- Grated sharp cheese
- Black pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Minced garlic
- Green onions
Directions
- Grease or line a large baking tray and preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
- Cut in the butter in small cubes and mix with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add in your optional ingredients at this point.
- Gradually pour in the milk and combine thoroughly, mixing until a solid dough forms.
- For crisp, even squares, roll the dough out to about a 1 inch thickness and cut into squares with a knife.
- For more traditional round scones, pinch off small handfuls, roll into balls and pat into small circles.
- Space the scones about 1 inch apart and brush lightly with either milk or an egg wash.
- Slide the tray into the oven and immediately spritz the oven with about 15 squirts of water and close.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 375F and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy!
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| Cut larger pieces of butter into the flour so they won't be minuscule when you're done mixing. |
Notes
- For a shiny, golden finish, use an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water).
- For a matte, golden brown finish, brush the tops of the scones with milk.
- Do not over mix the dough! You want to ensure there are good sized chunks of butter in the dough to ensure flakiness.
- Margarine works well as a substitute for this recipe.
- For sweet scones, add in chocolate chips and dried fruit. Or, leave them plain and serve with honey or jam.
- If you’re looking to make a very hearty scone, try adding in small cubes of smoked ham or bacon bits.
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