Super Fluffy English Scones

How do you make the perfect English Scone ? I’ll confess, I didn’t even know of the existence of these until my neighbor showed me the difference between a regular scone, and a proper English scone. And what a difference that is.

What is an English Scone ?

English scones are very different from the American ones. American scones are often more dense, very sweet and usually wedge shaped. On the other hand, British scones are tall (taller than a biscuit), fluffy (fluffier than a biscuit) and usually round. Although they don’t have to be. I made mine in all shapes. It’s way more fun that way.

How to make English Scones ?

Ingredient list

These are the main stars in English Scones:

• 2 cups all purpose flour: you can use other kinds of flour if you want but I do know for a fact that if you want maximum fluffiness you should stick to APP.
• 4 teaspoons baking powder: that much baking powder may seem excessive but remember, classic English scones are very tall and fluffy. That’s why 4 teaspoons.
• 1/2 tsp salt: helps balance flavor.
• 2/3 cup cold butter: it’s important to use cold butter in this recipe as it adds a lot of depth of flavor and texture to these scones. I mentioned this before, but butter has a melting point that is just around body temperature. That’s precisely why, cookies and cakes tend to give you that “melt in your mouth feeling”. 
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar: English scones are not very sweet. However, we need just a little bit of sweetness to avoid ending up with savory scones.
• 2 eggs: adds color, texture, leavening and flavor to baked goods. It’s really the balance between eggs and flour that help provide the height and texture of these English scones.
• 1/2 cup of milk: milk softens, adds moisture and color to these scones. Plus, milk provides the dough with strength and structure.

Check it out:

Steps:

1. Add flour, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and mix. Add in the butter.
2. Mix butter and flour using your hands until it looks like breadcrumbs. You can use a food processor to speed up the process.
3. Add in your sugar and mix.
4. Make a well in the middle of your bowl. Crack-in eggs and add milk. Beat your mixture until well combined (You can do this in a separate bowl). Scoop-up 2 tbsp of the wet mixture and set aside. Slowly fold in your dry mixture into the flour mixture. Remember to avoid over-kneading. It’s better to err on the side of handling your dough too little. Cover your dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
5. Once mixed, put the dough on a lightly floured surface. and use your rolling pin to flatten it down to about an inch high. Use a round cutter and press down to cut the dough into individual scones. Knead the excess dough as little as possible to recombine it and roll it out again to cut more. You can cut in different shapes, as long as they are 2-3″ wide.
6. Place scones in baking tray and brush the tops with your reserved egg and milk mixture. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the tops are