Tips for creating your own scone base

Scones are a super-versatile food. By adding dried fruit such as raisins and a topping of clotted cream and jam, you have a light yet decadent sweet treat just perfect with a cup of tea. Alternatively, by adding cheese and a few chopped chives to the same base mixture, you have a savoury scone just crying out for butter and a small salad for a delicious lunch.

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Perfecting that homemade scone base is the key to tasty, lighter-than-air scones that really hit the spot, so let’s take a look at some tried and tested tips to create the perfect scone.

Ingredients

There is no need to deviate from the basic scone ingredients: plain flour, sugar, salt, cream, butter, and baking powder. Some may skip the baking powder; however, it helps your scones to rise, giving them that crumbly, fall-apart texture. You can also add an optional dash of vanilla essence for sweet scones, giving them a lovely, rich flavour.

Another optional ingredient is beaten egg yolk. Simply brush this over the top of your scones before popping them in the oven to create a delicious, glazed top.

Method

The secret to light, crumbly scones is all in the mixing. Begin by crumbling cubes of cold butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add in a little sugar, then mix in the cream to create a dough. At this point, you can play around with your flavourings, depending on whether you prefer sweet or savoury.

A key way to achieve absolutely delicious scones is to ensure they are not overworked. This will make them heavier after baking.

Once your scones are out of the oven, give them a little time to cool before tucking in. Classic strawberry jam and a thick layer of clotted cream make the perfect topping for sweet scones, or cream cheese and chives or red onion marmalade for savoury.