Fluffy Earl Grey Scones

Scones are a hotly debated subject in my house. My husband and I disagree on nearly everything about them. I put cream on first and then jam, which is the Devonshire way. He puts jam on first and then cream, which is the Cornish way. I pronounce it “S-Cones”, and he pronounces it “S-Gones.” Putting our differences aside, we decided to agree on one indisputable truth- These “s-cones” are amazing! 

They are unbelievably soft and fluffy, and there’s absolutely no trace of “squeak” from too much leavening agent. If you’re au-fait with scone consumption, you will know that leftovers usually require a gentle refresh in a hot oven to restore them to former glory- not these! They are as light and fluffy on day 2 as they are on day 1 (although they probably won’t last that long.)

The addition of the earl grey infusion and candied peel gives a fresh and bright taste that fits nicely with this time of year. The traditional topping for scones is thick clotted cream and slightly tart ruby red raspberry jam. But Lemon Curd would also complement these beautifully.

There are a few points to bear in mind to ensure you have the softest, fluffiest scones possible:

• Mix the dough as little as possible so that the gluten structure does not become too strong. This will result in a tough or chewy scone.
• The dough needs to be quite wet to achieve that moist, fluffy texture. It should stick to your fingers a little and would be difficult to roll out before being chilled
• Chill the dough, wrapped in cling-film for 30-40 minutes until it has firmed up. It will make it easier to roll and allows the dough to relax, resulting in a more tender texture.

As always,

Happy Cooking!

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Fluffy Earl Grey Scones

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Baking – British

By Flavour Files – Serves: 10-12 Scones

Prep Time: 40 Minutes – Cooking Time: 10-15 Minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Cloud-like, fluffy scones with delicate earl grey aroma and candied peel.

Ingredients

• 125ml Whole Fat Milk
• 3 Earl Grey Tea Bags
• 225g Ultra Fine Self Raising Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 40g Softened butter
• 1 Egg- beaten
• 25g High Quality Candied Peel- finely chopped
• Optional Egg Wash(beaten egg and milk 2:1 for a glossy finish)

Instructions

1

Firstly, prepare the earl grey infusion. Add the milk and tea bags to a small pan and heat gently until simmering. Once simmering, turn off the heat and carefully (without breaking) squash the tea bags into the milk with the back of a spoon. Put a lid or some cling film over the pot and allow to infuse and cool to room temperature.

2

Once cooled remove the tea bags and carefully squeeze the excess milk from them.

3

Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl or stand mixer.

4

Rub the butter into the scones with your fingertips or use the paddle attachment on your mixer until it resembles breadcrumbs.

5

Add the egg and slowly pour in the milk a little at a time until a slightly sticky dough forms. (Depending on the flour used you may not need all of the milk, so add it slowly until you see the dough clump together and become soft and sticky but not wet.)

6

Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the freezer for 30-40 minutes until it has firmed up.

7

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F Fan

8

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough about 1cm thick and cut into rounds.

9

Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash (optional)

10

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the scones have risen and have browned evenly.

11

Allow to cool before serving.

Notes

A faint crackle/sizzle sound coupled with the browned, risen appearance signals that the scones are properly baked.