The Best Scones in the Entire World

By á-36

Here is a lofty, light, well-balanced, perfectly textured, and utterly delicious scone

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients
• 2 cups King Arthur unbleached, all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
• 0-6 tablespoons sugar (none for savory scones and 4-6 tablespoons for sweet scones)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, ONLY IF acidic liquids are used, such as buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraiche
• 1/2-1 teaspoon fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon for sweet scones and 1 teaspoon for savory scones)
• Butter
• 8 tablespoons very cold, unsalted butter, cut into 16 equal-size pieces
• Liquid Ingredients (Keep everything cold until use, measure liquid and whisk in egg. Refrigerate until ready to use)
• 1 large, very cold egg (or 1/4 cup additional liquid)
• 3/4 cup very cold buttermilk, cream, or half of each (or thinned yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche)
• Additional Ingredients (choose one)
• 2 ounces grated cheese, optional
• 1/2-1 cup dried fruit, such as currants, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries, optional
• 1/2-1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, optional

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cut the butter into 1½ teaspoon size chunks (16 chunks per 1 stick butter). Add the dry ingredients to the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scatter the very cold butter on top of the dry ingredients. Pulse the mixer to cut the butter into the flour, making sure not to cut the butter pieces too fine. Peas-size pieces are just about right. Add the cold wet ingredients and pulse the mixer a couple of times only to barely incorporate the liquid. DO NOT OVER PROCESS

2. Turn the dough out onto the work counter and very gently move it around a bit to ensure that all portions are uniformly moistened. DO NOT KNEAD DOUGH!

3. For extra flakiness, after the dough is formed, flatten somewhat and gently make 2 letter folds (as for flaky pastry or croissant dough) in opposite directions. This will help to build flaky layers in the baked scone.

4. Pat the dough into the desired shape and then cut 8 equal-size scones. If there are scraps, push them together gently, pat into shape, and cut into the desired shape.

5. Put the scones onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and either bake or cover with plastic wrap and frig until ready to bake, as much as a day later.

6. Ten minutes before baking, set an ovenproof dish filled with ¼ cup water on a rack in the bottom third of the oven. (The steam will enhance the scone’s rise.)

7. Just before baking, brush the tops (but not the sides) of the scones with buttermilk, cream, or beaten egg. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar or other garnish of choice.

8. Bake at 375° in the upper third of the oven for about 15-16 minutes, depending on scone size, or until the scones are light brown on the bottom and just golden on top. Do not overbake! Overbaking produces dry scones.
Remove scones to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before devouring them. Scones are at their absolute perfection within an hour out of the oven.
To store, let the scones cool completely, then seal in an airtight Ziploc bag for as long as a day before eating. Otherwise freeze the scones and later reheat in a 350° oven for 5 minutes or in a microwave for 10-15 seconds.