Scone Thread

[Aliantha]

I don't think they look like scones either. Nothing at all like what we'd call a scone here.

Those ones look more like something you might eat 'for constitutional reasons'.

[HungLikeJesus]

You mean we need Radar's input?

[Aliantha]

Yeah...I thought there'd be jokes about my choice of words. lol

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

You mean we need Radar's input?

You done good on that one there.

[monster]

What all the Brits and the Aussies said ...Those are not scones. Neither is anything else here that's called a scone. the "biscuits" are closer, except for them being savory and salty.

so why do American women like them? because they're so nasty they must be good for you? Like Soynut butter?

[footfootfoot]

HLJ Shoots and SCONES!

[Cicero]

I sell scones to men all day. Men love scones. Men love all baked items. You'd be surprised at the amount of people that come in every single day that are men. And demand their scone.

Had I known how much men liked baked goods, I would have been a baker. Screw looking good, they like the muffins, and they love the scones.

I have never had one. But I can tell I will never like it as much as they do.

In my next life I will be a blueberry scone.

[footfootfoot]

People! Listen! The things that are sold as scones in the US are not what real bakers in the US would call a scone. A real US scone would be a slightly sweet, not dry, very rich biscuit like pastry. I say bicuit like since its main source of leavening is butter and baking powder rather than yeast.
I.e. it is not a bread or a muffin. This is from the Fanny farmer cookbook C. 1918. If you want my recipe which really kicks hinder PM me.

Cream Scones

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar
2 eggs

1/3 cup cream

Mix and sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Rub in butter with tips of fingers; add eggs well beaten (reserving a small amount of unbeaten white) and cream. Toss on a floured board, pat, and roll to three fourths inch in thickness. Cut in squares, brush with reserved white, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes.
5

Baking Powder Biscuit I

2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon lard
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk and water in equal parts
1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

Mix dry ingredients, and sift twice.
6 Work in butter and lard with tips of fingers; add gradually the liquid, mixing with knife to a soft dough. It is impossible to determine the exact amount of liquid, owing to differences in flour. Toss on a floured board, pat and roll lightly to one-half inch in thickness. Shape with a biscuit-cutter. Place on buttered pan, and bake in hot oven twelve to fifteen minutes. If baked in too slow an oven, the gas will escape before it has done its work. 7

Baking Powder Biscuit II

2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons butter
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix and bake as Baking Powder Biscuit I.


My Breakdown:
Scones Vs. Biscuit

S: Pastry or ap flour (less protein, i.e. less gluten, means less chewey, more crumbly)
B: Bread flour More protein i.e. more gluten, means chewier, flakier ,less crumbly)
S: sugar (sweeter)
B: no sugar
S: eggs (richer)
B: no eggs
S: twice as much fat (richer, smoother mouth feel also all butter rather than half lard means slightly more moisture and more butter flavor, lard is comparatively neutral in flavor)
B: half as much fat (more bready tasting, lighter in a less rich sense of the word
S: the liquid is made up of eggs and cream (how rich is that?)
B: the liquid is made up of either milk or water and milk 50/50
The upshot is that a proper American scone should be characterised as “Rich, moist, crumbly, and sweet” If anyone tries to sell you anything different tell them (expletive deleted) ß ok, who gets that reference?

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by Brianna

You done good on that one there.

Thanks, Al.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Foot3, I'm interested in the asskickin' scone recipe too... though the Fanny Farmer (1918) recipe looks mighty good too.

Uh, was there anyone who didn't get the reference? Ibram mightn't, but I don't think he reads Food & Drink.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Australian "cookie" = involves chocolate chips, hash, or both )

Hashish -- or corned beef hash? No, I'm serious. Twenty solid years on, I still talk about the beef stew over pancakes they served me for lunch in Perth WA. Weird and wonderful ways with pancakes they have over there in the corners of Western Australia. Oddly enough, I never ate a meat pie.

[ZenGum]

Hashish.

I fear you misunderstood the pancakes. It probably wasn't "we have pancakes, what shall we put on them?", but more likely "What shall we have with our daily beef? Hmmm .... pancakes!"

[Aliantha]

Although I can imagine it happening, beef stew over pancakes is not traditional aussie tucker. lol

Maybe they were trying to accomodate you as one of those weirdo seppos who think you should put maple syrup over your bacon?

[DanaC]

They look a little like something called 'Derby Scones' over here. Kind of biscuity...though derby scones are sweet and delicious and not at all nasty....but they look similar. Or more accurately what's sold in Yorkshire bakers as Derby Scones look like those.

[Yznhymr]

My new favorite is crumpets. Last year my wife got me a gift basket from Wolferman's and man did I enjoy it! She got me a bigger basket this year for my birthday and the crumpets are awesome. Scones are okay, but I really don't get their charm.