Let's Talk: Scones

Maybe it's just me but I think that to the British a scone is like their version of the classic American muffin. Think about it: they can both be eaten any time of day but usually (for me at least) around either breakfast or snack time, they can be both sweet and savory, they're portable and best of all you can put just about anything in a scone or a muffin.
While they are super similar scones and muffins have one major difference, texture. The American muffin is soft,fluffy, and moist, whereas, the scone ( the traditional ones at the very least) are dry and super crumbly. Also unlike muffins, where the dry and wet ingredients are mixed separately and then the 2 sets (wet and dry) are combined in the end, scones take a little more... doing. 

Fear not though here are my general notes on scone baking

• Keep everything COLD! Now I know when it comes to baking most things come out better when all the perishables (i.e. butter, eggs) are room temperature but trust me
• Use SOLID fat! In baking most of the time it's possible to substitute fats, like butter for oil and vice versa but here solid fat is a must
• Grab a FORK! I must be crazy right? Nope most scone recipes call for the butter to be cut into the dry ingredients. Some of the fancy recipes ask for the use of a pastry cutter, don't waste your money the tines on a metal fork work perfectly for this
• Make the CUT! When a recipe says to cut the butter into the dry ingredients all you do is slice the butter into cubes and use a fork to mash the butter in to the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like dry sand. A little butter showing through is fine
• It will be DRY! Resist the temptation to add extra water or milk to batter. By the time it's ready to go into the oven it should be the texture of sandcastle sand, just coming together and still crumbly
• Do Not OVERWORK the dough! Work the dough as little as possible with your fingers. Remember fingers warm dough cold... you want to transfer as little as possible body heat to the dough before it hits the oven.
• Use a PIZZA CUTTER to cut individual scones. It's so much easier than a knife
• Make them PRETTY! Make an egg wash (Crack an egg into a bowl and add a little water or milk) and brush onto the scones before they hit the oven, this makes for golden brown scones. Want a little sparkle add a little sugar on top of the egg wash for sweet scones.

All right guys I'll post a scone recipe tomorrow if all goes well. Let me know if you have any questions. Also how were your pancakes?

Ta for now!