THERE’S nothing better than a warm scone slathered in cream and jam – or jam then cream, whichever you prefer.
The crumbly bake is beloved by millions across the UK as an afternoon tea staple or sweet treat at home.
But if you’re attempting to make them yourself, there’s a key step you could be missing in your recipe.
And it could be the difference between perfectly light and fluffy scones and a flat disappointment.
Kevin Connor, head chef at luxury retirement villages brand Audley Villages , revealed his little-known slice of advice to perfect your scones.
He said: “While a scone recipe looks simple, with few ingredients and a short baking time, too often the British favourite falls flat… literally.
“It’s very difficult to achieve the perfect level of fluffiness, so they can often emerge from the oven dense, tough and chewy.
“My top tip is to FREEZE the dough, once rolled into balls, for at least 30 minutes before placing in the oven.
“The longer your dough is in the freezer for, the better, so if you’re extra organised, I would even suggest keeping it in the freezer overnight.”
Speaking ahead of National Afternoon Tea Week from August 11, Kevin explained how to adjust your recipe to this baking rule.
He said: “Firstly, mix your ingredients together. It’s then very important to minimise how much you work the dough.
“Next, cut your circular ‘scone’ shapes out by pushing down on the cutter firmly without twisting to keep their form, before arranging them on a baking tray.
“The critical part, though, is popping some cling film over the scones on the tray and freezing for 30 minutes or more.”
He continues: “There is no need to defrost them. Remove straight from the freezer and place in the oven for a little longer than your recipe suggests.
“From there you should take out your flakiest bake yet.”
The head chef and baking expert revealed freezing dough has such a dramatically positive effect because it keeps the butter solid.
Top Tip
He said: “Don’t overmix or over knead your dough because you want it to have pockets of butter throughout.
“Freezing the dough ensures that these pockets of butter then remain cold and solid right until they go into the oven.
“They will then steam in the heat, raising the dough more and creating the fluffy layers.
“So, by maintaining the solidity of the butter by freezing your dough beforehand, the scones should gain height and layers while baking.
“Leaving the dough while it’s in the freezer, also provides time for it to rest, so avoid opening the door – a bit like you would with the oven. The cold temperature slows gluten development, preventing the bake from becoming too tough or chewy.”
“Following my steps to give your scones that extra boost is just the ticket to transform dense dough into a delightfully fluffy, light bake.”
