British style Scone recipe

A British style scone recipe is different from a North American style scone recipe in that it has less sugar and less fat, at best, in the form of butter.

This is because they would be served between breakfast and lunch with sweet and buttery or creamy spreads on the side.

Butter is worked in a bit more giving them a cakier texture rather than trying to get layers or flakiness.  

They usually have more leavening

Some will have egg, and you could add one here and lessen the milk by a scant quarter cup if you want a fluffier even more cakier scone.  Some may even have full fat cream or sour cream because they may have baking soda, but usually not, because “self rising flour” is often used and it does not contain baking soda.

This will again, depend on who your Gran is.

I used 1¾ cup (225g) and ½ cup (65g) whole wheat flour because it’s my thing, and to show it can be done with success, but I’m sure a classic British scone would use all purpose only, and self rising. 

*Note!

By the way, if a recipe calls for self rising flour and you don’t have any, you would need 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt with enough all purpose flour to equal one cup (125g) self rising flour. 

A nice little foil if you are trying to get a little more whole wheat into your baking is, well, by substituting in some whole wheat flour, and also cinnamon.  A little cinnamon sugar sprinkling would make these irresistible right? Then all you would need is some butter, maybe some honey.

For more of my thoughts on scones you can go to Scones and Biscuits, some info. I have lots of thoughts.  I have made lots of biscuits.

How to Make British Style Scones

425°F(220°C)

Oil a baking sheet or line with baking parchment.

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the cold butter.  I cut it in with a pastry cutter until smaller, then I rub the mixture between my hands, sliding my hands against each other to flatten the butter into the flour mixture, just until crumbly.

This is a subtle difference between these and an American biscuit which has pieces of butter.  Still small, but not right in there. The dough may be a little less ragged.

Still important to keep it cool!

You could pop it in the fridge for half an hour or so if you know it has gotten warm.

3. Add the milk all at once and stir in a scooping motion, up from the bottom of the bowl, just until mostly combined.

4. Turn out to a floured surface. 

5. Bring all the crumbs in and fold it just a few times. It’s all very crumbly, so it isn’t so much folding as it is just bringing the dough over itself a few times.

6. Pat it into a 1” thick form and cut with biscuit cutters or a knife.  Try not to use a glass because it will seal your edges shut instead of letting them rise high, they’ll be a little gummed shut.

If you plunge in a scalloped biscuit cutter you will get crispier edges!

7. Bring the scraps of dough together and fold them over a few times and press so you can get a few more scones.

I usually bring the cut sides together, then turn it on the side and press so the cut sides flatten together so I get a smoother surface.

8. Transfer to the baking sheet and brush with cream or egg wash, or neither.

Sprinkle with sugar or cinnamon and sugar if you are serving them sweet.

9. Bake for about 12 minutes.