Welcome to the Great British Bake Off technical challenge series! Each week, we will explore a new scrummy english baked classic. The recipe for these english scones was inspired by season 1, episode 2’s technical challenge and Paul Hollywood’s recipe.
CARBS. Yaaaaasssssss.
Where be my fellow carb-lovers??? My friends that also equate atkins or keto with a fiery flaming hell-of-a-time??? These english scones are for you. Grab some butter, some clotted cream, some raspberry jam, or whatever else your jam may be. (ha. see what i did there?)
As I mentioned last week, I’m utterly obsessed with the Great British Bake Off (aka Great British Baking Show for my fellow ‘mericans). That show keeps me humble and reminds me that there is still a whole wide world of baking that I have yet to learn. Last week, it was a scrummy Victoria Sandwich, which is now David’s favorite cake ever. (And that’s seriously saying something when you have competition like the chocolate turtle pecan cake and chocolate orange cake with pistachio creme.)
Season 1 episode 2’s technical challenge was traditional english scones. My recipe is closely based on Paul Hollywood’s recipe with some tweaks that I found helpful. You may be nervous about chaffing the dough, but it really is super easy and you’ll be done in a flash! And it makes for the fluffiest scones!!!
Unfortunately, here in the States, I’d have to go to a specialty store in order to get clotted cream. But I found these scones perfect with either some raspberry jam or a VERY generous smear of butter… I <3 butter. English scones are sweeter than an American biscuit but not as sweet as an American scone. That is, english scones are the perfect vehicle for other sweetness like butter and jam. (And we totally used the leftovers to make strawberry shortcake, which was fabulous.)
Next week’s challenge? MORE CARBS. (Story of a baker’s life. Main ingredient? FLOUR.) Okay, but seriously. Next time, I’m tackling a crusty cob loaf . . . whatever that is.
Cheers!
mikaela | wyldflour
8-10 scones
20 minPrep Time
12 minCook Time
32 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour + 1/2 cup extra flour
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 2 eggs + 1 egg for topping
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with tin foil.
- Place 3 3/4 cups flour in a large mixing bowl. Slice butter into 12 or so slices and dump into flour. Using your hands, scoop up a handful of flour with a pad of butter in the middle and rub your fingers together to rub the flour into the butter. Use both hands to pull apart the pads of butter and rub into the flour. Repeat this process for 2-3 minutes until it resembles a large-grained sand-like mixture. (There should be no chunks bigger than a pea.)
- Use a wooden spoon to gently stir in sugar and baking powder. Crack 2 eggs into the bowl. Break the yolks with the spoon and then gently turn the yolks into the dough until fully incorporated.
- Add half of the milk and stir until fully combined. Add remaining milk a couple tablespoons at a time until the batter is quite wet and sticky.
- Measure out additional 1/2 cup flour and sprinkle half of this on the counter top. Dump dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. Sprinkle more flour over the sticky ball of dough.
- Now you will "chaff" the dough. Flour your hands and use open, flat hands to pat the dough ball down to about 1-2 inches thick and roughly shape into a rectangle. (Imagine that you are incorporating the remaining flour by patting it into the dough.) Grab the right side of the rectangle, and fold it over the left side of the rectangle. Sprinkle some more flour over the top of the dough and pat down again. Grab the bottom half of the rectangle, and fold it over the top half of the rectangle. Sprinkle with flour and pat down again. Repeat this process 2-3 more times, using the rest of the 1/2 cup extra flour. (So you will have folded the dough a total of 4-5 times.) This process makes the scone light and fluffy.
- Roll out dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Relax the dough by lifting up each side of the dough and letting it settle back down gently. Use a floured biscuit cutter to cut out rounds and move rounds to foil-covered baking sheet. (Do not twist the cutter into the dough--just press down.) Gather scraps, roll out, and cut additional rounds. (The more you do this, the less fluffy the scones will be.)
- With a fork, whisk up the third egg. Use a pastry brush and lightly brush the tops (not the sides) of the scones with beaten egg. Sprinkle each scone with a tiny pinch of salt. Bake 10-12 minutes until scones have risen and tops are golden-brown. Remove from oven and immediately move scones to cooling rack. Serve with butter, jam, and clotted cream.
Notes
These scones also work great as a substitute for shortcake in strawberry shortcake!
Leave a Reply