Cream Scones
These scrumptious cream scones are perfect paired with coffee or tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack. They are deliciously rich and buttery - I think they are even better with the lemon zest and poppy seeds, but feel free to omit that if you prefer a simpler scone. The rest time is crucial for this dough to come together, don't skip it.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 4 cups (520 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- heaped ⅓ cup (80g) sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons (22g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 11 tablespoons (160 g) unsalted butter cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes, chilled
- 1 ¾ cups heavy cream chilled
- ¼ cup whole milk
Lemon Poppyseed variation
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- zest of 2 lemons
Egg wash
- 1 large egg lightly beaten (for the egg wash)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl, then stir in the sugar and salt.
- Add the cubed, chilled butter and rub into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, the back of a fork, a food process or stand mixer, or simply your fingers (my preferred approach). Stop once you've reached a coarse, crumbly stage, where the butter resembles small pebbles in the sandy dry dough.
- Make a well in the center of the bowl, then slowly add the cream and milk (and poppy seeds and lemon peel if using). Stir together gently with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until just incorporated.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a block. Let rest 5 minutes.
- After resting, fold the dough in half, then lift and turn the dough over onto itself. Press together and let rest 5 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to 1-inch (2.5 cm) thickness. then cut into even rounds with a 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter. You will need to reshape the dough a second time to use the scrapes from the first cutting, but try to not overhandle the dough.
- Place formed scones on lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 10-20 minutes to rest and help scones keep their shape during baking.*
- Preheat oven to 390 F.
- Remove scones from freezer after resting, brush with egg wash and bake for about 18-22 minutes. The scones should be just golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool on tray for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely (or eat while warm). Serve with butter, jam, and/or clotted cream.
Notes
*Instead of the lemon poppyseed variety, add 1 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips.
**At this point, the formed scones can remain in the freezer for up to 3 months if kept in a freezer-safe Ziploc or other container. When ready to bake, simply remove from freezer. They should come to the right coolness as the oven preheats. Continue to follow baking instructions.