Flaky Buttermilk Scones Recipes

ULTRA-BUTTERY IRISH SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk milk, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Whisk flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Cut 10 Tbsp. butter into 1/2" cubes, add to flour mixture, and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-size pieces form with some larger chunks remaining. Add milk mixture and stir with a fork until large clumps form. Gently knead in the bowl until dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a 14x8" rectangle, with long side facing you. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a small, microwave-proof bowl in the microwave until softened but not melted, about 20 seconds. Spread evenly over dough with fingertips, then sprinkle currants evenly on top and press to adhere. Fold up bottom third of dough over center, then fold down top third to meet bottom edge, as if folding a letter. Fold in half crosswise, then, using a rolling pin, gently flatten into an 8x4" rectangle.
• Cut dough in half lengthwise and in quarters crosswise to form 8 even squares. Transfer to prepared pan, spacing 2" apart. Sprinkle tops generously with demerara sugar and lightly with flaky sea salt.
• Bake until scones are golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter bubbles, remove from heat and skim off foam from surface. As soon as the scones come out of the oven, lightly brush tops with clarified butter, leaving behind white solids in bottom of saucepan. Cool scones on sheet on a wire rack and serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter and buttermilk; stir until a soft dough is formed.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press dough into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick and 4 inches wide. Cut into 8 even sized pieces.
• Place the scones on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

CLASSIC BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease baking pan (I use 1 large cookie sheet, you may need to use 2 depending on how big your pan is) and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
• Add the 3/4 cup butter and cut with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture looks coarse (you should see pieces of butter/flour "balls" about the size of chickpeas).
• Make a well in the middle and add 1 cup buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Don't over mix. Now is the time to add chocolate chips or other goodies, if using.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into 2 equal parts. Lightly knead each into 3/4 inch thick, 6-inch diameter rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place on your prepared baking pans. Space them out evenly, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Each oven is different and they brown pretty quickly so watch the oven (don't leave!).
• Take out of the oven and serve warm.

BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. Add currants, if desired.
• Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade.

LINDA'S FANTABULOUS OVERNIGHT BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Whiz flour, white sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in the food processor.
• Add the butter and shortening and pulse a few times to get pea sized chunks of fat.
• Add one cup of buttermilk and pulse about 5 times.
• At this time you may add 1/3 cup of add-ins such as rasins or chopped dates or what you like in any combination. Try not to add more than 1/2 cup of add-ins or the dough may not want to co-operate.
• Turn out onto a nonstick (such as a silpat) and very lightly floured surface, bring the dough together and form into a disc. Try not to handle too much. When your disc is formed it should be about 1 1/2 inches high.
• Cut into 8 pieces and place on a parchment lined half - sheet pan making sure they do not touch.
• Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator overnight.
• In the morning: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• When the oven is hot, beat egg yolk and one tablespoon buttermilk together and brush tops of scones. Dust with a little superfine sugar if you like.
• Bake for about 15 minutes. This is a convection bake time so you may need to add a minute or two for a conventional oven.
• I won't put the endless combinations of add-ins here but you get the idea - add what you like and enjoy!
• Honey butter: one cup of butter and 1/4 cup of your favorite honey mixed well and spread on a warm scone is yummy. I also use this on my Yankee corn bread. For honey butter variations you can skip the honey and add in fruit preserves for something different. Apricot or Lemon marmalade are super.

FLAKY BUTTERMILK SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stack to baking sheets together and line the top baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange oven rack to upper one third position.
• In a food processor bowl, add flour, sugar, salt baking powder, and baking soda and blend briefly. Add butter and pulse to make a grainy mixture. Alternately, combine the dry ingredients and cut in butter with a pastry knife.
• Turn into a large bowl. Lightly beat egg with buttermilk and then add to the dry ingredients. Combine with fork until you have a soft shaggy dough.
• Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times until mixture is just barely rollable. Divide dough into two halves. Shape each half into a ball. Roll ball into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut each circle into 4 wedges or more depending on how big you want your scones.
• Place wedges on prepared baking sheets. Brush tops with milk or melted butter.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. If making smaller scones check on them after 15 minutes. It will take a bit longer to cook the larger ones.