Recipe Background
Queen's Favorite Scones: Travel back to London with fluffy scones.
The first time I made scones was during an impromptu trip to London with my mom. Fresh out of a breakup, I needed something drastically different, a distraction with a touch of class. We decided to indulge in afternoon tea at a quaint little shop near Kensington Gardens. The scones were immaculate, the perfect combination of crumbly and soft, and I remember thinking, 'This is what my soul needed.' Back at home, I was determined to recreate that moment. I love having unbleached all-purpose flour on hand, always the cornerstone of any baking adventure. The trick was keeping the butter cold and rubbing it into fine crumbs, a therapeutic task that took my mind off heartache.
One chef-y tip I picked up from the pastry chef at the tea shop was to never twist the cookie cutter while cutting the dough. It keeps the scones fluffy, respecting the role of the baking powder. I remember calling my mom as I took the warm, golden scones out of the oven, gently covering them with a tea towel just like the English do. As they cooled, I prepared the strawberry jam and clotted cream, and the taste took me straight back to that rainy afternoon in London, soothing and comforting.
The experience was liberating, transforming a dish into a souvenir of resilience. Whenever I need a reminder of fresh starts and heartwarming memories, I go back to these simple but regal scones. Every detail counts, from dusting the work surface with flour to kneading the dough just enough to coat it smoothly. It's my little homage to London and to finding joy in unexpected corners of life.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for flouring a work surface and baking sheet, plus more for kneading
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
- 2/3 cup milk plus more as needed
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
- strawberry jam optional, to taste, for serving
- clotted cream optional, at room temperature and to taste, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and unsalted butter.
- Rub the mixture together to break up the butter into a fine breadcrumb texture. Try to keep the butter as cold as possible.
- Add in 2/3 cup milk slowly, mixing as you add it until the dough comes together with no lumps remaining.
- The dough should be sticky. If the texture doesn't seem correct, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Flour a work surface generously.
- Spoon the dough out onto the prepared work surface.
- Dust the top of the dough with flour.
- Knead the dough 2-3 times to coat it in the flour and smooth the surface.
- Press the dough into a 1-inch thick round.
- Using a floured cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2-inch circles. Do not twist the cookie cutter while cutting, as this can ruin the texture of the finished scones.
- Brush the tops of the rounds gently with the egg wash mixture.
- Bake until golden and firm, about 12-15 minutes.
- Let the scones cool for 30 minutes, covering them with a tea towel as they cool for a softer texture.
- Serve with strawberry jam and clotted cream.
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