Ingredients

How to make better scones

• Sift flour and raising agent thoroughly through a fine sieve. If the bicarbonate of soda is lumpy measure on to the palm of your hand and press out lumps before sifting with the flour.
• A little butter rubbed into the dry ingredients will help keep scones fresh for a day.
• Add liquid all at once and use the blade of a knife or a fork to mix the dough; both are cooler and mixing is quicker than with a wooden spoon.
• Adding 1 tablespoon natural yoghurt to the milk for mixing will give you lighter scones.
• A teaspoon of golden syrup added to Scotch pancakes encourages them to cook to an even golden brown.
• Press dough together with your fingertips and handle it lightly. Unlike a bread dough the gluten in the flour must not be developed and this will happen if the dough is over-mixed.
• Take care not to roll scone dough too thinly. I?s always safer to pat or press scone dough out with your hands; if you use a rolling pin i?s very easy to make the dough too thin.
• Thoroughly heat oven and put scones to bake as soon as mixed because the raising agent starts to work when liquid is added. The oven must be hot to give scones a lift – when baked they should have doubled in height.
• For floury oven scones with a soft crust, use a flour dredger to sprinkle flour on baking sheet. Arrange scones on the floured sheet and dust with flour before baking.
• For a glossy finish on oven scones, arrange scones on greased baking sheet; then brush tops with milk or mixed milk and egg.
• Place oven scones close together on baking sheet to make soft touching sides. To make the sides firm, place them at least ½ inch (1cm) apart.