Scones were the first thing I ever baked, and I make them for my birthday every year. I love a dry scone. If it’s got a muffin texture, it isn’t a scone! These are wonderful with tea or coffee. Traditional scones are served with clotted cream or jam, though I prefer a little icing.  

These wonderful treats—essentially a ‘white bread’ without yeast—can be traced back to the early 1500s. A Scottish poet mentions scones baked on a griddle made of oats, though traditions can be found in both Scotland and Wales. The Welsh cooked small round yeast cakes (leavened breads) on bakestones. The name itself might have come from the Dutch word for beautiful bread: ‘schoobrot.’ ‘Schoobrot’. Or perhaps from the Gaelic word ‘sgoon’—a shapeless mass or big mouthful. Germany can even make a claim with the word ‘sconbrot’, or fine and beautiful bread.

Check out more sources on the history of scones at the bottom of this recipe page.

Photo by Vaibhav Jadhav on Pexels.com

FOX TIPS

CHILLED: Keep everything chilled. Use a glass or metal bowl and chill the bowls before you bake. Pause to chill the ingredients as you go. I know this takes time, but I’m a perfectionist.

CRANBERRIES: Cut the cranberries before baking then freeze them. The chilled fruit will help keep the dough cold. Cranberries are only in the stores from late summer to January, so stock up. Freeze the bags until you use them.

MOISTURE: Dole out the moisture a little at a time. If you add too much, the scones will expand and turn into muffins. If you add fruit, it will also add moisture. So be patient and take your time. If the dough feels wet or mud, you can add a bit more flour. You want just enough moisture for the flour to hold together. I usually have a ¼ CUP leftover of the cream, egg mix.

SOUR CREAM: I recently started cutting my moisture with sour cream, and so far everyone agrees that it not only adds a nice tang to the tart cranberry but also gives the dry dough a texture that brings it together. I gave a batch to author PD Cacek, and she raved about the sour cream. You can also use Greek yogurt if you don’t want the sour cream tang.

ICING: The scone is quite tart with a tang, so use icing to balance the flavor. Or up the sugar by another two tablespoons if you like it a bit sweeter. You can also try halving the white sugar and use brown sugar, though watch the moisture level.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 CUPS All-Purpose Flour
• 6 TABLESPOONS Granulated White Sugar
• ½ TEASPOON Cinnamon
• 2 TEASPOONS Baking Powder
• ½ TEASPOON Salt
• ½ CUP Unsalted Butter (FROZEN) – A single stick
• ⅓ CUP Sour Cream (Greek yogurt may also be use if you don’t want a tang)
• ⅓ CUP Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 TEASPOON Vanilla Extract
• 2-3 TABLESPOONS of Orange Zest
• 1 CUP Fresh Cranberries (halved). You can use frozen.

ICING

• 1 CUP of Powdered Sugar
• 1 TEASPOON of Vanilla Extract
• 4-5 TABLESPOONS of Heavy Cream (more or less depending on how you like your icing)

INSTRUCTIONS

SCONES

1. Cut the cranberries into halves then put them back into the freezer.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. Grate the frozen butter into strings or strands into a bowl. Chill it and the flour for twenty minutes. You want to keep everything cool. Then use your fingers or a fork to rub the frozen butter into the flour mix until it’s a crumbly meal. You can also cut the butter into cubes but using a grater works much better. Then chill it again for ten minutes.

5. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, heavy cream, egg, vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix it until it’s fluid. Then yes, chill it for a bit too.

6. Whatever you do, don’t just add all the moisture to the flour mix. Add a third then lightly mix it. Then add a TABLESPOON and mix it again. Every time you add moisture lightly mix then take a handful and see if the flour holds together. You just want enough moisture for it to form into a ball. I usually have ¼ CUP of the liquid leftover. If you add too much moisture and it feels muddy, the scone will expand into cake and loose that dry crumbly texture. Remember too, the fruit will add moisture too.

7. Fold the cranberries into the dough then flour your hands and a flat work area. Mold the dough into a ball then push it down onto the floured surface, making a circle. Use a spatula to pick it up, turn it over and flatten it out a bit more, pushing the edges to form the circle about one inch thick.     

8. Cut the scones into 8 wedges or use a scone cutter. Put them on the prepared sheet then chill for another 15-20 minutes. Paint the tops with a little of the leftover cream mixture and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake on the middle rack for say 18-20 minutes until they are a bit golden brown. Use a toothpick to make sure their done.

9. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about ten minutes then put them on a cooling rack. Give them about an hour before applying the icing.

ICING

Mix the heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. Add more or less heavy cream until you get it thick. Use a pastry bag to draw lines or painted the top of the scone. You can add a little orange juice or food coloring.

STORAGE

Cover the scones after the icing has dried but leave a gap to let some air in. You want to keep the scones dry. They will get soggy if you don’t. They can be stored for a few days at room temperature.

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Check out the following sources for more information on the wonderful creation that is the scone:

A Brief History of the Scone (freshways.co.uk)Brief History Of Scones : Know More About This Unique Bread (icytales.com)

A Brief History of the Scone (freshways.co.uk)