These cream scones are truly the most ethereal scones that I've ever had the fortune to encounter. Exquisitely tender and rich, they also happen to be quick and easy to prepare. And since the day I discovered Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Pie and Pastry Bible" back in the late 90's, these scrumptious little marvels (essentially her currant scones with some very minor adaptation) have been on regular rotation in my kitchen. If you've never had the pleasure of a perfect scone, I bet they will end up on your list of favorites as well.
If you'd prefer to nibble on something slightly less sweet or embellished and even more simple to prepare, but still no less otherworldly in flavor, you might enjoy these cream biscuits.
Ingredients for Cream Scones
- unsalted butter
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- heavy whipping cream
- dried currants (or other dried fruit of you choice), optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Cream Scones
Preparing the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cut the butter into pieces about ½ inch thick. (If the butter feels soft at this point, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes before proceeding.)
Then add the butter to the flour mixture and press with your fingertips into large flakes.
Mix in the cream just until all the flour is moistened and the dough begins to come together in clumps.
Finally, add the currants, mixing and kneading them gently into the dough just until it holds together in one piece.
Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Shaping and Baking the Cream Scones
Heat the oven to 400℉. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll it out into a rectangle roughly 6 x 9 inches (it should be somewhere between ½ to 1 inch thick once rolled out).
Then fold the dough into thirds, just like a business letter.
Lightly flour the board again (if necessary) and rotate the dough so that the smooth side faces to your left. Then repeat the process, rolling out the dough to a rectangle about the same size and folding it into thirds like a business letter, three more times (for a total of four times).
Roll out the dough to a 6 x 9 inch rectangle one last time, and then cut it lengthwise in half so you have two pieces, each measuring about 3 x 9 inches. Cut each length of dough into four pieces on the diagonal in order to form roughly even triangles. Place the dough triangles, about an inch apart, on an ungreased baking sheet. (The dough will rise, but it will not expand sideways.)
Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp and the tops are golden brown. (Do not overbake. The scones will continue to cook a bit after being removed from the oven, and they taste best when still slightly moist and soft on the inside.)
Transfer the scones to a wire rack covered with a thin linen or cotton towel, and then fold the towel over them loosely.
Allow the scones to cool until warm or room temperature before serving.
Hint: Loosely wrapping the scones in a linen or cotton towel (like the cotton flour sack towel pictured above) while they cool is a useful trick for ensuring the best results in terms of texture. The breathable material allows the scones to cool without drying out too much on the surface or getting soggy.
Storage
Although cream scones can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, I like to freeze them...something almost magical happens when you take them out of the freezer and reheat them in the oven. Simply place them on a baking sheet (still frozen), and put them in the oven at 300℉ for 20 minutes. Then poof...they taste as if they had just been baked! So whenever I have any leftovers (or happen to be baking them in advance), I simply wrap each scone in plastic (once they have cooled) and then stash them in the freezer straight away.
Top tip
All that rolling, folding, and re-rolling of the dough may seem like extra and unnecessary work, but please do not be tempted to skip these easy steps! The layering effect, which results from giving the dough multiple turns, is what makes these cream scones so irresistibly flaky.
Related
Looking for more sweet ideas for things to serve with brunch or to accompany your afternoon coffee or tea? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Cream Scones
Equipment
- metal baking sheet (either one full size or two half sheets)
- linen or cotton flour sack towel
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups all purpose flour (plus a bit more for rolling out the dough)
- ¼ cup sugar preferably baker's or caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup dried currants, or other dried fruit of your choice (optional)
Instructions
Preparing the Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cut the butter into pieces about ½ inch thick. (If the butter feels soft at this point, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes before proceeding.)
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and press with your fingertips into large flakes.
- Mix in the cream just until all the flour is moistened and the dough begins to come together in clumps.
- Add the currants, mixing and kneading them gently into the dough just until it holds together in one piece. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Shaping and Baking the Scones
- Heat the oven to 400℉.
- Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll it out into a rectangle roughly 6 x 9 inches (it should be somewhere between ½ to 1 inch thick once rolled out).
- Then fold the dough into thirds, just like a business letter.
- Lightly flour the board again (if necessary) and rotate the dough so that the smooth side faces to your left. Then repeat the process, rolling out the dough to a rectangle about the same size and folding it into thirds like a business letter, three more times (for a total of four times).
- Roll out the dough to a 6 x 9 inch rectangle one last time, and then cut it lengthwise in half so you have two pieces, each measuring about 3 x 9 inches. Cut each length of dough into four pieces on the diagonal in order to form roughly even triangles.
- Place the dough triangles, about an inch apart, on an ungreased baking sheet. (The dough will rise, but it will not expand sideways.)
- Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp and the tops are golden brown. (Do not overbake. The scones will continue to cook a bit after being removed from the oven, and they taste best when still slightly moist and soft on the inside.)
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