The scones should be a light brown when they're finished.
Pallid looking scones are usually caused by baking them too low or too cool in the oven. If you want to get a scrumptious looking brown top, brush them with either egg or milk before baking for a finish that no one will be able to resist.
Bake scones in a 425°F oven for 18 to 23 minutes, until they're a very light golden brown. Don't over-bake; dark scones will be dry. Break one open to check for doneness: the interior shouldn't appear doughy or wet, but should feel nicely moist.
Sugars and proteins will both brown. I usually brush melted butter on bread to give it a nice brown crust. You might also sprinkle some sugar on after brushing with butter. Egg-wash tends to make it shiny too, which I think you may not want for scones.
Check for proper golden brown color on the bottom of a center scone on the baking sheet. If necessary, lower oven temperature. Cool to room temperature before packaging.
The less you knead the mix, the less the gluten will tighten up – which means your scones will stay loose and crumbly, rather than tight and springy. Make sure you sieve the flour and baking powder into your bowl. This means that the two will be well mixed together, which gives you a better chance of an even rise.
Fluffy and soft with a little crisp to the edges and top. The perfect scone doesn't come easy. There are many little gritty things that can get in the way of achieving that all-buttery point of perfection. Equipped with these pointers, you will soon have yourself wondering whether you should be opening your own bakery.
1. Classic jam and cream. Whether you prefer the Devonshire version of cream first, then jam; or the more widely known Cornish version of jam first, then cream, there is very little better topping for a classic scone.
Scone mix is far wetter than a dough – it's somewhere between a batter and a dough. Only lightly flour your work surface to avoid incorporating extra flour into the dough. Just a reminder: Don't overwork the dough or the scones will turn out rubbery – or worse, bullety and hard. Cut out your scones cleanly.
Bake the scones at 200 C/180 C fan for 12 - 13 minutes or until they have risen and are golden brown.
Scones and biscuits both need a hot, quick bake. The high, quick heat is needed to turn that butter into nice steamy air pockets without leaving pools of butter on the cookie sheet.
An easy way to incorporate the butter into the scone batter is by shredding it on a cheese grater. The other important piece is making sure not to overcook. If you overcook them, the moisture evaporates and cooks into the dry ingredients causing them to be dry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk milk and egg in a small bowl; gradually stir into flour mixture until moistened.
To maximize the shelf life of scones, cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in plastic bag to prevent drying out. Properly stored, freshly baked scones will last for about 1 to 2 days at normal room temperature.
Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.
Any leftover cream can be brushed on top of the dough to help your scones turn beautifully golden brown as they bake.
Refrigerate your dough overnight for more symmetrical and attractive pastries. Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day.
If you have space available in your fridge let the scones chill for about 15 minutes. If not, put them directly into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.
Make scones the day you need them and wrap them in a clean tea towel straight from the oven, wrapping in a cloth helps to trap steam and keeps the scones lovely and soft.
In an interview earlier this year, Darren McGrady, a former royal chef, said that the queen spread a layer of jam on her scone, then added cream. That jam-first method in known as the Cornish style — versus the Devonshire style, which layers cream first.
Traditionally scones with added fruit are served with butter only; plain scones with butter and jam or cream and jam. Clotted cream and lemon curd are never served together.
In my view, the perfect scone should have puffy height and be light and flaky. The internal crumb should exhibit qualities of a light-colored moist, soft, tender texture. The scone should not be wet or doughy nor should it be hard and/or dry, with a chippy or chibbly texture.
Scones are considered ”quick” breads since they are leavened with baking powder or baking soda and cream of tartar. They may be plain, but often have a wide variety of sweet or savory ingredients. Scones should be golden on the outside and tender and flaky inside, like a slightly sweetened biscuit.
Scones are supposed to be crunchy on the outside while soft and moist on the inside. They should not be dry or crumbly.