This authentic simple scone recipe is the perfect accompaniment for your afternoon tea or even coffee. They are buttery, tender, flaky ever so slightly sweet and perfectly paired with homemade clotted cream and preserves or jam.
What are scones?
A British scone is simply a baked good made with flour, baking powder, egg, butter, cream and a bit of sugar. They are typically served with tea as a light snack in the mid-morning or with afternoon tea. This simple scone recipe tastes best with clotted cream and preserves or jam.
What is the difference between a British scone and an American scone?
This simple scone recipe is very different from the American scone, which is usually triangular in shape and comes packed full of sugar, fruit and/or nuts and usually drenched in more sugary icing. I think of the American scone as more of a hybrid between a cake and a cookie, which still has a near and dear place in my heart. More about that at another time though. 🙂
What is the difference between a British scone and a biscuit?
I liken the British scone to the Southern biscuit, which is usually dressed with butter and jelly. The main differences are that the American biscuit contains no eggs and the British scone is slightly sweeter than our biscuit because they contain a wee bit of sugar.
This simple scone recipe is denser, slightly drier and a bit more crumbly than biscuits. Although delicious on it’s own, the clotted cream and preserves make them over the top fabulous and simply irresistible.
Because these British scones are so simplistic, you probably have everything you need right in your pantry and fridge already. This simple scone recipe is a must and don’t forget the clotted cream and preserves. Simple perfection and ummmm boy good! I certainly hope you’ll give this delicious quick bread a try. Say Grace and enjoy!!
Simple Scone Recipe {British Scone Recipe}
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 T sugar divided
- 5 T frozen butter grated
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c heavy cream maybe 2 more T if needed plus more for brushing
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to combine.
- Add the butter and combine with a pastry cutter, fork or fingers until pea sized crumbles form.
- Add the egg and cream. If too dry, add 2 more T cream. It should still stick a little to your hands.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a couple times, then press it into a ¾-inch-thick circle and cut into 2.5-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter.
- Put the rounds on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Reshape the leftover dough and cut again. You should end up with 5 large scones.
- Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream and sprinkle with the 1 T of sugar.
- Place scones in refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill the dough.
- Bake for 12 minutes and serve immediately with clotted cream and preserves. Say Grace and enjoy!
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