Is it a Scone or a Biscuit
The difference between a traditional English scone and an American style biscuit is simple. Traditional English scones are enriched with eggs while American style biscuits are not. With the addition of egg, the English Scone will rise a bit more than its American counterpart.
Whether it’s a scone or a biscuit, both are versatile. While typically served with homemade clotted cream and strawberry preserves, both are equally delicious with a good quality butter. However, I’ve often served American style biscuits with ham and cheese or as the foundation for breakfast sandwiches. Traditional English Scones can pull double duty as well. They are addictive and thankfully, easy to make.
Many traditional English recipes call for cream flour which is very similar to Bisquick in the United States. Cream flour is a premix of plain flour and self-rising leaveners. My mother made traditional English scones for her restaurant, adding plump raisins or currants common in many of the variations found in the UK.
This recipe is basic, but adding raisins, sultanas, or red or black currants is a great option. Rumor has it that this is the same scone recipe used at Buckingham Palace, which is all the provenance it needs. If this recipe is fit for the Queen, then who am I to argue?
Fresh traditional English scones topped with homemade clotted cream and strawberry preserves are one of the few things in life that are simply perfect.
Start with quality butter. On this day I’m using unsalted Kerrygold Irish Butter.
Portion the amount of butter you will need and cut them into sticks. (It’s easier to work with refrigerated butter.)
Cut those sticks into uniform cubes.
Place the cubes in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until very firm.
Crack two whole eggs into a bowl.
Whisk together eggs and buttermilk.
In a food processor fitted with the large cutting blade, add the all-purpose flour, super chilled butter, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Pulse the food processor until the butter is incorporated.
Pour the flour mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Add the egg/buttermilk to the flour mixture. Use your hands to mix the dough. I prefer using kitchen gloves for the process since it keeps my hands clean.
Mix the dough until it just comes together. Avoid overworking the dough otherwise it will become tough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
Prepare the work surface with a very light dusting of flour. Dip the cookie cutter in flour before each use. This will provide a clean cut and help the scone to release easily from the cutter. (I’m using a 2 3/4″/7cm plain cookie cutter.)
Baste the top only. Top with a small sprinkling of good quality sea salt (optional). Bake at 425°F/218°C for 10 minutes. Turn the sheet pan 180 degrees and bake another 10 minutes or until the scones are golden brown.
After the scones are baked and golden brown, remove them from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack.
Serve the scones warm with traditional clotted cream and strawberry preserves. Homemade recipes for each are on this blog, though store-bought clotted cream and strawberry preserves work too.
Delicious traditional English scones with strawberry jam, clotted cream and tea.
Tea pairing: Lavender Earl Grey, Twinings Pure Rooibos Red
Traditional English Scone
Equipment
- measuring spoons and cups
- food processor fitted with large blade
- medium to large mixing bowl
- cutting board or clean work surface
- rolling pin
- 2 ¼" (6 cm) plain round cookie/dough cutter
- baking sheet pan
- pastry brush
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour, all purpose
- 6 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup sugar, granulated/caster unrefined
- ½ cup butter, unsalted good quality, cut into small squares and super chilled
- 2 whole eggs, large, beaten
- ½ cup buttermilk, very good quality (I prefer to use the separated and leftover milk from making clotted cream)
- ¼ tsp salt, kosher or sea
- 1 egg yolk and a pinch of salt for brushing
- extra flour for dipping cookie cutter
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 425°F/218°-220°C
Prepare the dough (food processor)
- Cut the butter into cubes as shown in the images above and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- While the butter is setting up prepare a food processor with the large cutting blade and work bowl. Measure out the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt). Add the dry ingredients to the work bowl.
- Once the butter is super chilled, add it to the food processor with the dry ingredients and pulse the machine until the butter is incorporated. Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Reserve.
- Combine the wet ingredients by adding the cracked eggs to another small/medium bowl with the buttermilk. Whisk the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Using a combination of rubber spatula at first and then gloved/floured hands, gently mix the wet and dry together until a dough forms. (Tip: Cover with plastic wrap to keep from drying out if you aren't going to cut out the scones immediately.)
- On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the soft dough and knead briefly to bring the dough together in a uniform shape. Avoid overworking the dough as this will cause the scones to be tough.
- Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 3/4"/2cm thick.
- Using a 2¼"/6cm plain cookie/dough cutter dipped in flour before each use, cut out each scone and place on a sheet pan fitted with nonstick parchment or silpat. Reform the dough after cutting out all possible scones. Continue this process until all the dough has been used.
Bake
- Bake at 425°F/218°-220°C on the center rack in the oven for 10 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Cool the scones on a wire rack for approximately 10-15 minutes before serving.