Your typical scoop-and-bake scones may be slightly less involved than these, but there is nothing better than layers of light buttery dough, studded with fruit if you please, and with a crusty sugar topping for an additional layer of delight. Such a fresh scone, slathered with clotted cream and preserves and served with a proper cup of Earl Grey tea, is known as a cream tea, which I was introduced to on the little island of Guernsey in the channel islands of the United Kingdom. Guernsey, a rocky and gray island known for its dairy cows and subsequent clotted cream and cheeses, is the epitome of the right environment to tuck into this style of afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks/170 g) organic unsalted butter, chilled
- Scant 12/3 cups (220 g) organic unbleached all-purpose flour
- Scant ¾ cup (75 g) cake flour
- Scant ¼ cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 large pasture-raised eggs (100 g)
- Scant ½ cup (115 ml/120 g) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 large pasture-raised egg (50 g)
- 1 large pasture-raised egg yolk (20 g)
- Scant ½ cup (100 g) organic granulated cane sugar
How to Make It
- Chop the chilled butter into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks and set aside in the fridge.
- Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Paddle on low speed to combine well.
- Add the butter and paddle on low speed until the butter becomes walnut-size. Using your hands, pinch the butter and flour together to flatten the walnut-size chunks of butter.
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture in one shot and paddle the dough together on low speed until “shaggy” or very loose.
- Empty the shaggy scone dough onto a cool work surface lined with a piece of parchment paper and pat it out into a square, using your hands. Using the parchment paper to aid, fold the loose dough in half and pat into a square. Repeat this folding and patting process three times to bring the dough together, while creating layers of scone dough and butter, which will result in a flaky texture of the final baked product.
- On the fourth round of folding and patting, the dough should be shaped into its final thick square. Place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
- Cut the chilled dough into six equal squares, being sure to cut straight down and not dragging your knife through the dough, which would pinch the layers of the dough together instead of keeping them separate and flaky.
- Cut each square in half diagonally, creating two triangles per square. Flip the scones over from how you cut them, so the bottoms are now facing up. This will ensure an even rise of the layered scone dough during baking.
- Place the scones on a parchment-lined sheet pan and in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C) convection.
- When the scones have chilled, remove from the freezer and make the topping: Whisk together the egg and egg yolk in a small bowl and brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, being careful to not allow the egg wash to drip down the sides onto the parchment.
- Using handfuls of sugar, heavily sprinkle the tops of the scones with sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons per scone), creating an even layer.
- Bake the scones for 20 minutes, turning halfway through that time, until just golden.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
