Did you know that it’s International Scone Week?
It’s not surprising if you didn’t, given that Joanna, Heidi and I made it up a couple of years ago. We found ourselves in a flurry of serendipitous scone baking, and had so much fun that we thought it would be lovely to repeat it annually.
So the second week of August became Scone Week, declared to be International since we were all baking and blogging from different continents.
I decided to make yet another attempt at a traditional recipe this year. I haven’t had much luck in the past, and usually end up with clunky hockey pucks (unlike the ever reliable lemonade scone recipe, which never seems to fail).
However, undeterred, I watched a clip from River Cottage and tried again.
They were a great success! Pete declared that they were the best scones I’d ever made – “better than the lemonade ones” – and promptly ate four of them with Pepe Saya butter and his homemade mixed berry jam…
The secret, it seems, is to handle the dough as little as possible once the liquid is added, and to cut them without twisting. The original recipe is on the River Cottage website (unfortunately, the link is now broken) – here’s my amended version…
- 300g (2 cups) plain (AP) flour
- 2 generous teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 75g (5 US tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 50g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
- 125g (½ cup) milk (original recipe used cream)
- 1 large free range egg
- a little milk for brushing the tops before baking
1. Preheat oven to 200C (400F) or 180C (360F) with fan. Line a small baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sieve the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
3. Cut the butter into small cubes and then rub it into the flour with your fingertips. Stir in the sugar.
4. Whisk together the milk and egg, then pour it onto the dry ingredients. Mix together gently with your fingers, then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together gently. Don’t overwork it – as my friend Shawna pointed out, it’s better to have a little dough stuck on the counter than flat scones.
5. Lightly roll the dough to a thickness of about 2½ cm (1″). Using a well-floured round cutter, cut the dough into circles, taking care not to twist as you push down (which apparently retards the rise). Lay the scones on the parchment-lined tray and brush the tops with a little milk. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until (hopefully) well-risen and golden brown.
I read somewhere that cooling the hot scones on a wire rack will result in a crisp exterior, whereas wrapping them in a tea towel with soften them.
As I mentioned in the previous post, I’ll be spending a bit of time with our visiting friends this week, but I wanted to get this post up at the beginning of International Scone Week. Misky and Heidi have already started baking!
If you’d like to bake and blog about scones, please feel free to leave a comment here linking back to your post, so that everyone can read it. On Saturday I’ll do a round-up post of everyone’s scones. Happy baking!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Hello Celia! Good work on the scones and happy scone week! I’ve been baking good scones for many years now, decades in fact. My son brought home a recipe torn from a magazine at school when he was very little (he is now almost 30!). Here is my recipe http://www.bizzylizzysgoodthings.com/2/post/2011/09/scones.html And that’s correct, you handle the dough very minimally and never twist the cutter. I use buttermilk, which results in BEEEAUTIFUL scones. Enjoy your time with your friends xox
Beautiful scones, Lizzy! I’m sure after all these years that you must be able to bake them in your sleep!
LOL… not quite…
Should I get out the silverware…or are you going for gold?
Tut tut, Cosmo, it’s not whether you serve them on silverware, it’s the thrill of the bake.. :)
That’s what I’m trying to get Robert to understand! The thrill of just making it.
Yummy!
I’m making some very similar to these tomorrow, Celia! I’m looking forward to slathering them with butter and jam!
The fame of the International Scone Week arrived at Oklahoma (and Kansas), so you can see the movement gaining momentum!
It is too bad I cannot participate this year – but count me in for 2013! Imagine that, a former Brazilian baking scones from the middle of Kansas! Cannot get more international than that.. ;-0
Thanks for the secret tips to making perfect scones. I think I could eat Pete’s homemade mixed berry jam by the spoonful.
Well done, Celia – what a triumph! Of course, the twisting would make a difference! *Slaps head* Why have I never thought of this before?!
I’ll have mine up later today Celia, glad they turned out so well for you this time xox
Lavender lemonade scones up and running Celia!
http://intolerantchef.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/lavender-lemonade-scones.html
Glad you’ve made scones you’re happy with the traditional way :-) I’ve got a scone post all lined up for you… Enjoy your week.
Perfect scones! I am drooling…
Dear Celia,
These scones look beautiful and I am now curious about that Pepe Saya butter you used compared to the decadent French Lescure.
Scones are a bit like making biscuits, handle the dough very little and cut with a sharp edge, not twisting for best results. I forgot about Scone week!
A whole two weeks for scone making? I love it!
How delicious Celia. My to do list says ‘find scone recipe to make’ so I’m getting there!
Oh, I wanted a photo of how you put them on the tray. Do you give them space or tightly pack them? I see you’ve used a scone cutter. I remember making one in metalwork at school. These look like great scones. I’ll have to make them so I don’t miss International Scone Week xx
Happy International Scone Week! And I must say having a week of scones is a good idea rather than just a day so now I can take the chance to make or eat scones :) Love Pepe Saya butter!
love it! this makes me smile because scones are the one thing i can bake better than my mother, who is an excellent cook otherwise, but scones – no. Though i have not tested this theory in years – i can’t remember the last time i made scones! Scones are deceptively simple but they require the right touch. And lemonade, it would seem. Yum… those pictures are making me hungry!
Happy Week of the Scone! These look SO good. I must hurry or the week will fly by and I’ll have no scones!
If I have a scraping of cream left in the carton that’s slightly gone off then I put a spoonful into my scones. Sounds disgusting but makes light scones. To minimize handling and because it’s quicker and easier, I roll out the dough and simply cut into squares with a sharp knife. After all, scones don’t have to be round.
Great. Scones are my favourite of all. That formula looks quite rich for English style scones. I look forward to having a go at some as well. Enjoy the week!
What a fan-tab-u-lous idea! I will get cracking with my old recipe too, ALTHOUGH nothing can beat the Sprite scones!
:-) Mandy
I feel bad admitting this but it is International Scone Week and dishonesty just isn’t tolerated. Scones just aren’t a part of my repertoire. I enjoy them but have no “habit” of purchasing, ordering them from a menu, or baking them. I must say, though, Celia, your photos are enough to make me want to change my ways. Hopefully, by next year, i too, will have a recipe or two to share.
I’ll be sure to link back if I get the chance to make scones! Isn’t it always interesting that such tiny changes can affect the end result.. like not twisting the cutter? I’ve never heard that one before. If this recipe is better than your lemon ones.. then I’ll be looking at trying it out!! xx Smidge
Ooh, ooh, International Scone Week has arrived again – I absolutely must try and remember to make scones. Like you Celia, scones are my nemesis, but I am getting better at it each time I make them. The one’s I did last year for ISW were even passably good. Yours look perfect.
These look great Celia, yum! I might have to try your recipe as I have not yet mastered the scone. I have made reasonable pumpkin scones thought. I love the idea of International Scone Week!
http://growbakerun.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/banana-and-date-scones.html
Here are my scones Celia, recipe unashamedly stolen from my mother in law.
Hi Celia
ISW – fantastic. I made pumpkin scones ’cause they are Australian and I was trying to keep the flag flying:)
PS: I don’t know how to insert a link:(
[…] over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial and a few of her blogging buddies started this wonderful celebration a couple of years ago. To […]
What a fantastic post Celia! I have never been able to master scones, but I think your recipe might be the key to success!!! One to try this weekend, thank you!!
I have never ever made scones! These look so scrummy, and if I have time this week I will get baking :)
These scones look really lovely :) I really need to get back to baking :)
Hi Celia! Your scones look light and delicious. What a nice texture on top too. You can just tell by the photos that they were nice & flaky :)
I too went the traditional route, however I substituted with a little pastry flour and buttermilk.
Here you go:
The Clever Carrot
Love that you invented a “international week” !! And oh those scones do look good, it’s many moons ago since I last made some, tempting, tempting …..
Your scones look really well risen & huge!! I have never seen scones this high before! I must make them!
They look utterly tasty! And to enjoy them them with home-made jam! Waw!
Hope you are having fun with your friend, just to let you know that my IMK is posted.
The scones look so crispy on the outside but moist. With the jam, I might eat four as well.
yay! I’m in http://cityhippyfarmgirl.com/2012/08/09/scones-and-wool/
Date and Orange ones :-)
Lovely scones darling! Proper English teatime style :)
Here are my traditional scones – http://invisiblespice.wordpress.com/
How about some Fanta Zero Scones?
http://miskcooks.com/2012/08/10/international-scone-week-fanta-zero-scones/
You are all wonderful! Thanks so much for playing! I made a second batch of these scones yesterday – a double quantity this time – and they all disappeared within the hour! :)