Start with cold butter and prepare the dough quickly, with little fuss—that’s the secret to light, flaky, tender scones. Excessive handling warms up the dough and encourages a chewy texture.
1/2 | cup | black raisins or currants |
1/2 | cup | brandy (for soaking) |
6 | tablespoons | cold butter, cut in ½-inch cubes* |
2+ | cups | flour |
2 | tablespoons | sugar |
1 | tablespoon | baking powder |
1/4 | teaspoon | salt |
1/2 | cup | cold milk |
2 | eggs (1 for dough, 1 for glaze) | |
2 | tablespoons | demerara sugar** |
*Refrigerate the cubed butter for 30 minutes before making the scones.**Substitute regular or large-crystal white sugar if demerara is unavailable. |
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare baking sheet using parchment paper, a silpat or butter.
- Soak the raisins or currants in the brandy for 24 hours, then strain. (Reserve the brandy for another use if you like.)
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a spacious bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter quickly with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly, with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Stir in the drained raisins
- Whisk together the milk and one egg until well blended.
- Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until just blended, but still lumpy.Note: The dough should be soft and pliable. If too sticky, add a small amount of flour and work it in quickly. If too dry, add a tablespoon or two of milk. Do not overwork the dough or the scones become heavy rather than flaky.
- Turn the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface.
- Pat the dough gently into a circle ¾-inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 wedge-shaped scones.
- Place the scones on the prepared baking sheets.Note: If the dough has softened from overwork, place the scones in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then proceed.
- Brush lightly with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar.
- Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and cool.
- Serve promptly.