Scones will taste better if you add cream instead of milk to your recipe (Image: Getty)
Nothing is better than biting into a fresh scone topped with jam and cream, and they are incredibly easy to make yourself at home.
Sally McKenney, a baker and founder of , has shared that the best way to make flavourful scones that are “better than a bakery” is to ditch milk and instead add a thick liquid like heavy cream to your .
She said: “For the best-tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavour, use buttermilk.
“Thinner liquids change the flavour and appearance. You’ll be headed down a one-way street to dry, bland, and flat scones.”
Cream and alternatives have a high-fat content, which coats the flour and helps give the scones a moist, crumbly texture rather than making them dry and tough to chew.
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Cream will make your scones moister and fluffier (Image: Getty)
It will also promote browning so you have a beautiful golden crust on the edges of your scones that are still light and fluffy on the inside, as cream can create steam to help lift the batter while cooking.
Adding cream will greatly improve the texture of your scones while also having a creamy butter taste.
How to make homemade scones
Ingredients
- 250g of all-purpose flour
- 100g of granulated sugar
- Two and a half teaspoons of baking powder
- One and a half teaspoons of vanilla extract
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- 113g of butter (frozen)
- 120ml of heavy cream or buttermilk (plus two tablespoons to brush the tops)
- One large egg
Recipe:
To begin, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder) in a large bowl.
Grate the frozen butter into the bowl and use your finger to rub the ingredients into the butter until they resemble breadcrumbs in texture.
Scones are very easy to bake as long as you use the right ingredients (Image: Getty)
In a separate bowl, add the heavy cream, egg and vanilla together. Pour over the breadcrumbs and whisk together until it resembles a dough.
Sprinkle some flour onto a clean kitchen counter and also onto your hands. Place the dough onto the counter and work it. If it feels too sticky, add more flour, and if it seems too dry, add one or two tablespoons of heavy cream.
Use a cookie cutter (ideally eight inches) or a knife to cut the scones into circles until you have eight individual scones. Brush the top of each scone with heavy cream.
Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Bake the scones for 18 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown with the edges lightly browned.
Your scones will be fluffy and are best served fresh out of the oven with a generous amount of jam on top.