Ultimate scones

Ultimate scones

Learn the secret of making perfect scones every time, with Angela Nilsen's ultimate recipe

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 5 - 6

Easily doubled

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Takes 25-35 minutes

Freezable

Freeze only after baking

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C and lightly butter a baking sheet (unless you're using a non-stick sheet). Tip the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt. Shoot in the butter, then rub together with your fingers to make a reasonably fine crumbed mixture, lifting to aerate the mixture as you go. Try not to overrub, as the mixture will be lighter if it's a little bit flaky. Now stir in the sugar.
  2. Measure the buttermilk, then mix in the milk to slacken it. Make a bit of a well in the middle of the flour mixture with a round-bladed knife, then pour in most of this buttermilk mixture, holding a little bit back in case it's not needed. Using the knife, gently work the mixture together until it forms a soft, almost sticky, dough. Work in any loose dry bits of mixture with the rest of the buttermilk. Don't overwork at this point or you will toughen the dough.
  3. Lift the ball of soft dough out of the bowl and put it on to a very lightly floured surface. Knead the mixture just 3-4 times to get rid of the cracks.
  4. Pat the dough gently with your hands to a thickness of no less than 2cm and no more than 2.5cm. Dip a 5.5cm round fluted cutter into a bowl of flour - this helps to stop the dough sticking to it, then cut out the scones by pushing down quickly and firmly on the cutter with the palm of your hand - don't twist it.You will hear the dough give a big sigh as the cutter goes in. Gather the trimmings lightly then pat and cut out a couple more scones.
  5. Place on the baking sheet and sift over a light dusting of flour or glaze if you wish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack, uncovered if you prefer crisp tops, or covered loosely with a cloth for soft ones.
  6. Serve with strawberry jam and a generous mound of clotted cream (Cornish people put cream first, then jam, Devonians the other way round). Eat them as fresh as you can.

Per scone (without the trimmings)

262 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 42g, fat 9 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 1g, sugar 5g, salt 0.9 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2003.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 81-100

  • Binder photo Toddi

    20 June 2012

    Toddi rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious!! Was simply looking to use up some buttermilk but will buy to make these beautiful scones in future

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  • Binder photo kate

    27 June 2012

    kate rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made a english cream tea for some French friends of mine, and used this recipe, they were all really impressed by the 'gateau anglaise' and wanted the recipe. I could not get buttermilk over here but used natural yoghurt and they looked and tasted amazing. Ultimate is really the correct word for this brilliant recipe!!

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  • Binder photo Annerieke

    14 July 2012

    Annerieke commented on this recipe

    My ones didnt rise.. I don't understand what went wrong there, followed the steps exactly and have made scones successfully before. The only thing that I did differently was that I swapped golden caster sugar for normal white sugar as I didn't have the golden one at hand. Also, I don't think I overworked it.. anyway they taste fine but not fluffy and light. Anyone has any idea what could have gone wrong? Would like to try this again.

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  • Binder photo lucretia_ten

    04 August 2012

    lucretia_ten rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Lovely light, moist scones everytime - so quick and easy to make in the mixer wth the addition of a teaspoon of bicarb, but remember not to overmix. I always make double the quantity which makes 10 proper ones and a sort of odd shaped one with the scraps - for the cook :-D These scones freeze really well and taste just as good with a blast in the microwave. Jam first, cream on top - and I'm in Penzance!

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  • Binder photo Suzanne

    04 September 2012

    Suzanne commented on this recipe

    Mine haven't risen at all! I followed the recipe, hardly worked it at all and they are the same size as they were when I put them in the oven! Has anyone got a suggestion??

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  • Binder photo Alli

    22 September 2012

    Alli commented on this recipe

    Just made a shed load of scones for the Macmillan coffee morning I'm hosting. They have come out perfect, the best I've ever done. Even with the heavy hands of my dear 5 year old daughter helping. Just hope that they freeze well, for the big day on Friday 28th Sept. Any tips on the re-heat. Do I cook from frozen or defrost first?

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  • Binder photo Alli

    22 September 2012

    Alli rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Sorry forgot to rate the recipe. I give it a full 5. Brill, crunchy on the outside, soft & fluffy on the inside.

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  • Binder photo Marilyn

    23 September 2012

    Marilyn commented on this recipe

    Made these yesterday but as I didn't have any buttermilk I squeezed a little lemon juice in full fat milk (as suggested by Devonshire girl)and it worked a treat. I hadn't made scones since my schooldays and was wondering how they would turn out. They were delicious with home made strawberry jam and whipped cream. Will definitely be making them again in double the quantity!!!

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  • Binder photo Cazza

    11 October 2012

    Cazza commented on this recipe

    I love this recipe! Always get perfect scones.

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  • Binder photo swiftsmith

    12 October 2012

    swiftsmith rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    Oh dear! Just made these and they didn't rise at all, they spread out instead. My oven isn't the best but it can usually do cakes well enough, not sure what happened here... (they still tasted nice though).

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  • Binder photo vickyvp

    21 October 2012

    vickyvp commented on this recipe

    can someone convert this to standard cups? I can't figure out metrics

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  • Binder photo proofofthepudding

    22 October 2012

    proofofthepudding rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I have a terrible track record with scones. Always, ALWAYS a disaster. HOWEVER...this time, I have ended up with the most perfect scones EVER!!! Only got 6 (and a scrappy "cook's" one) out of the mixture at the quantities listed - but they rose, they are golden, they are light, fluffy and absolutely delicious! Like some others, I didn't have buttermilk, so added the dash of lemon juice (from a bottle!) to the milk, also made a point of aerating the flour/fat mix by lifting it several times and allowing to drop through my fingers back into the bowl; used a palette knife to stir and was careful not to over-mix. My end result mixture was quite "wet" though, had to add a little flour so it would keep its shape. Very pleased with end result! Definitely 5 stars!

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  • Binder photo proofofthepudding

    22 October 2012

    proofofthepudding commented on this recipe

    Vickyvp, if you go to www.convert-me.com there you can convert Metric/U.S./U.K. measurements with 1 click! Easy. Hope that helps, Lorraine.

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  • Binder photo Erin

    23 December 2012

    Erin rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oh my word, superb! I didn't have buttermilk so added some lemon juice to semi skimmed milk and it worked out just fine. I also added a handful of sultanas to the mixture. I made quite large scones - 4 large and 1 smaller with the leftover dough - so they needed a little extra cooking time. Soft and fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Pure bliss with jam and clotted cream. Very happy!

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  • Binder photo HandsOnPaws

    16 January 2013

    HandsOnPaws commented on this recipe

    Delicious! I put a tea towel on them while they're still warm to keep them soft, so good with clotted cream and blackberry jam.

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  • Binder photo Brookymum

    09 March 2013

    Brookymum rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So easy! And delicious! My first attempt at scones and they turned out perfect! :) made 1 batch with fruit and 1 without!

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  • Binder photo jennimok

    25 March 2013

    jennimok commented on this recipe

    The last time I baked scones was during domestic science class way back in my teens. I will definitely try out the recipe judging from the great reviews given! TQ.

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  • Binder photo Kiwisaver

    26 April 2013

    Kiwisaver rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I was keen to find a foolproof scone recipe, so that I could make some good scones to go with our new found treasure of clotted cream in New Zealand - woohoo! These, whilst not the best scone I ever had, were probably the best I ever made. Shame there are only six of them! Best of all I liked the fact that they didn't have that horrid salty tongue tingly baking powder taste.

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  • Binder photo Adele

    13 May 2013

    Adele rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Best scones ever. I am not much of a baker but this recipe NEVER flops.

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  • Binder photo AnSconio-Flanderas

    19 May 2013

    AnSconio-Flanderas commented on this recipe

    Really looking forward to making this recipe. :)

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 5 - 6

Easily doubled

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Takes 25-35 minutes

Freezable

Freeze only after baking

A crisp edge - fluffy inside

Ingredients

  • 225g self-raising flour , preferably organic
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 50g slightly salted butter , chilled, cut in small pieces
  • 25g golden caster sugar
  • 125ml buttermilk
  • 4 tbsp full-fat milk
  • a little extra flour for dusting
  • strawberry jam and clotted cream, to serve
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Per scone (without the trimmings)

262 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 42g, fat 9 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 1g, sugar 5g, salt 0.9 g

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