Equipment
Ingredients
Scone Dough
- 450 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 15 g baking powder
- 1 g fine sea salt, pinch
- 75 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 150 g sultanas
- 3 large eggs
- 250 ml whole milk
Serving
- 400 g clotted cream, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 473 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 47 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 206 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 62 mg
- Potassium
- 186 mg
- Calcium
- 121 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 17 mg
- Phosphorus
- 128 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 150 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.31 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 2.2 mg
- Folate
- 76 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7) and grease a large baking tray with butter.
Sift the bread flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Rub the chilled butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it reaches the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.
Stir the sugar and sultanas into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.
Lightly beat 2 eggs and add them to the bowl.
Gradually pour in the milk while stirring with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a thickness of 2cm (3/4 in).
Cut out circles using a 5cm (2 in) pastry cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush the tops of the scones, avoiding the sides.
Transfer the scones to the baking tray and bake for 10–12 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving with clotted cream.
Chef's Notes
- For the best rise, ensure your butter and milk are very cold.
- Using bread flour provides slightly more structure for a taller scone.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without cream; thaw at room temperature.
Reheating: Warm in an oven at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Scones rose unevenly or tilted to one side
Cause: The pastry cutter was twisted during cutting, sealing the edges of the dough.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked.
Prevention: Press the cutter straight down and lift straight up.
Scones are heavy and dense
Cause: The dough was over-handled or the baking powder was expired.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Mix the dough until just combined and check leavening agent freshness.
Cultural Context
A staple of the British cream tea, traditionally served with strawberry jam and clotted cream. The order of cream vs jam is a famous point of contention between Devon and Cornwall.
