Build-Your-Own Scone

This is my favourite scone recipe because it can be easily adapted to create the BEST SCONE…for you and your taste buds!! When you build your own scone, you’re bound to be happy with the flavours!!

Scones…super-flaky, buttery biscuits that have the ability to transport your favourite mix-ins with ease…the best kind of treat when you have three kids with three distinct sets of taste buds.  Also ideal when you’re someone who just likes to eat a good scone, and why not enjoy three different flavours (or more!) with one recipe!! Perfect for breakfast, a mid-morning snack or dessert, these build-your-own scones are sure to satisfy all the hungry people in your life.

I’ve had some bad scones in my day.  Dry and bland or worse, thick and cakey.  But not these.  Oh no, these are tender and flaky on the inside, crispy on the outside and buttery all over.   You in?  Thought so…

Only 7 ingredients in this Scone Recipe:

You only need 7 ingredients (give or take, depending on your preferred mix-ins) to make the Best Scone.

1. Butter – butter makes everything better. And flaky. Use grated, frozen butter for extra flake and lift in your scones.

2. Flour – all-purpose flour is best for a light-textured, crumbly-not-cakey scone. Be sure to lightly flour your surface so the scone dough doesn’t stick, but don’t over-do it or you’ll incorporate unnecessary flour into the scones making them dry and tough.

3. Egg – no egg here! Some recipes add a whole egg in with the wet ingredients, but this makes the dough very cakey. If I want a cakey scone, I’ll just make, well, a cupcake!

4. Sugar – just a 1/4 cup will do, especially since the mix-ins will likely add sweetness to your scones.

5. Salt – don’t skip this step…salt brings flavour to all baking.

6. Baking powder – this is the rising agent that adds lift to these delicious scones.

7. Heavy cream – cream adds a depth of flavour and creates a scone that is tender and moist.

8. Mix-ins – make these scones the 5-star type of scone by adding your own signature twist.

How to Make Scones:

The best scones come together before your oven has had a chance to pre-heat.  Just follow these 10 steps to Scone-y Awesomeness. 

1. Measure out your heavy cream and grate your cold butter.  Set them both in the freezer while you prep the other ingredients.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  

3. Prep your mix-ins.

4. Add the grated, frozen butter to the flour mixture and, working quickly, blend the butter into the flour by rubbing it between your fingertips.  Once added, the mixture should look like coarse meal.

5. Add your mix-ins and toss to evenly coat in flour mixture.

6. Add the cold cream in three additions, stirring with a spatula between each addition.  Once all the cold cream has been added, stir just until the dough begins to form into a ragged mass.

7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead quickly into a rough, slightly sticky ball.  Form the scone dough into a 6 to 7-inch disk, about 2-inches high.  Cut into 6 to 8 wedges. 

8. Brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar (I recommend turbinado sugar) for a deliciously crunchy and golden-y awesome exterior.

9. Freeze on baking sheet for 15 minutes to avoid over-spreading.

10. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until golden brown.

The Key to a Flaky Scone

The key to a flaky and soft scone is in the grated butter.  The COLD, grated butter, to be exact.  Just like when we make a pie, the butter needs to be worked into the dry ingredients quickly and with minimal hot-little-hand action.  When the butter is very cold and remains intact before hitting the oven, it melts as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating pockets of flakiness.  So keep your butter cold, don’t over-work your dough, and you will be rewarded by the tender and flaky scone we all deserve!!

So, if you’re wondering how to make the Perfect Scone, remember this:

• Avoid the dreaded scone that spreads by using cold butter and freezing the scones for 15 minutes before baking.

• Use grated, frozen butter for a flaky scone with lots of layers. 

• Add your favourite mix-ins to customize your scone! I’ve added three flavour variations, but build-you-own scone based on your own taste buds!! I recommend using between 1 and 1 and a half cups of mix-ins, such as fruits, nuts, coconut, chocolate, herbs, etc.  

• Add Grated Butter

LET’S GET BAKING because these Scones are:

CUSTOMIZABLE!

FLAKY!

SIMPLE!

SATISFYING!

PERFECTLY SWEET!

ONE-OF-A-KIND!