Description
Ina Garten’s delightful English cream scones merge classic British baking traditions with simple, elegant ingredients. Crumbly, buttery pastries emerge from your kitchen, promising a perfect companion to afternoon tea or a luxurious breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 extra-large eggs
- ¾ pound (340 g) cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 tbsps (25 g) sugar
- 2 tbsps (30 g) baking powder
- 4 tsps kosher salt
- ¾ cup (100 g) dried currants
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsps water or milk (for egg wash)
- Sugar (for sprinkling)
- Clotted or Devon cream (for serving)
- Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves (for serving)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, ensuring uniform coverage for optimal baking.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, blend all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt. Integrate cold unsalted butter on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, maintaining distinct butter pieces for flakiness.
- Liquid Integration: Whisk whole eggs with heavy cream until thoroughly combined. Introduce the liquid to dry ingredients, stirring minimally to preserve a tender, delicate texture. Lightly dust dried currants with flour to prevent sinking during baking, then gently fold into the dough.
- Dough Preparation: Transfer the fragile mixture onto a generously floured surface. Perform a gentle knead, preserving visible butter chunks. Shape into a circular disc approximately 3/4 inch thick, maintaining a light touch to ensure maximum tenderness.
- Scone Formation: Utilize a round cutter to create 3-inch scone shapes, carefully transferring each to prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar to achieve a golden, crisp exterior.
- Baking Finale: Bake for 20-25 minutes, watching for a rich golden-brown color and firm interior when gently pressed. Remove from the oven and serve immediately while warm, accompanying with clotted cream and strawberry rhubarb preserves for an authentic British-inspired experience.
Notes
- Butter Brilliance: Keep butter extremely cold and work quickly to maintain visible chunks, ensuring ultra-flaky scone texture.
- Minimal Mixing Mastery: Stir ingredients just until combined to prevent tough, dense scones – overmixing destroys delicate crumb structure.
- Flour Dusting Trick: Lightly coat currants in flour before adding to prevent sinking and ensure even distribution throughout the dough.
- Golden Crust Secret: Egg wash and sugar sprinkle create a stunning, crisp exterior that elevates the scones from good to gourmet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: English
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg