Perfect Afternoon Scones
Perfect Afternoon Scones
Course: Recipes, Dessert, TreatSpecially for Wimbledon, and taken from the recipe created by the Violet Bakery, these scones are the archetypal British treat. Claire Ptak, who runs Violet, may be American but she’s mastered the art of being British – so much so that she was called upon to make Harry & Megan’s wedding cake. So feel free to don your dressing up crown when you make these scones, your attitude feeds into the flavour! Her book is a stalwart in my library, and I recommend it highly.
INGREDIENTS
700g all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 tablespoons baking powder
100g sugar
½ teaspoon salt
200g unsalted butter, chilled
600g heavy cream
1 egg, lightly beaten, for the egg wash
good-quality jam and freshly whipped or clotted cream, to serve
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Â
- In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder and stir in the sugar and salt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and rub through the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, the back of a fork, or your fingers, or use a stand mixer or food processor—any which way you like to get a coarse, crumbly result. - Pour the cream over the top and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Turn the scone mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and press it together into a block. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.Â
- After it has rested, fold the dough in half, lifting and turning the dough over itself just the once.
Press together and let it rest for another 5 minutes. - When ready, roll the dough out to 2.5cm (1 inch) thick and use a 6-cm (2½-inch) round cutter to stamp out even rounds, but try not to handle the dough too much.
- Transfer the scones to the lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place the tray in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 20 minutes to rest.Â
This will help the scones to keep their shapes while baking. - While the scones are in the freezer, preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C/355°F convection). Brush the scones with the egg wash and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on their size.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To serve, split the scones in half, spread with jam and fill with cream or mascarpone.
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