Scone Thread
 

Why do people like scones? Is it a female thing? I've known more women to like scones than men. They are bland, and a bit dry. Almost flavorless.

I'd rather have a cookie.

next time you're at starbucks, get a blueberry or chocolate chip scone with your coffee.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/...9189f4.jpg?v=0

Put butter (real from-the-cow sort, not .... spread [eeewwwwwww :greenface ], and jam and a whopping great dod of clotted cream on your scone still slightly warm from the oven and then tell me it's "a bit dry, almost flavourless".

Bad scones are dry and tasteless.

Good scones are somewhat less dry and definitely flavorful.

If you're not up to making them fully from scratch (it's not a big trick, really, just follow the directions), try the mixes from King Arthur Flour. Very yummy.

I have the most awesome scone recipe form my baking days. After eating one of these scones, you will never, ever be satisfied with scones again. I don't even bother with scones at large, after a while you can see that they won't taste good.

I will share the recipe with those who are interested.

I would be interested ...

couldn't you just make me some and drop them off?

I don't know what they've trying to serve you Glatt, but those ain't scones!

I love scones! We have some great places here (including a place run by two ex-Brits; they make heavenly high tea stuff) but alas---we've no clotted cream anywhere---not even for ready money!

Is this the same woman who was bragging on her BJ skilz?
:p

That's what I was thinking too. They're supposed to be fat and fluffy and you cut them in half and gobble them with jam and cream when they're still hot from the oven.

Nothing better with a nice cup of tea.

There's a great recipe using lemonade for scones that my Aunt makes. They're the best ever. I think I've mentioned before about my inability to make good scones. I wish I could though. I love them.

Silly-cone is better.

Like "biscuit", "scone" has a different meaning in the US than it has elsewhere. Those things in the picture aren't scones, by my usage.

But do you agree that the things in the picture, whatever you call them, are dry and dense and nasty?

They taste like computer screen, very dry, not at all nice :p

They look like crumbly biscuits to me, not particularly appealing. (Australian "biscuit" = USA "cookie". Australian "cookie" = involves chocolate chips, hash, or both :D)

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'.

You mean we need Radar's input?

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

You done good on that one there. :)

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?

HLJ Shoots and SCONES!

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.

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. 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
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
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?

Thanks, Al.

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.

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.

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!"

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?

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.

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.

Crumpets are wonderful if they are well toasted.

I had some in a tea shop once that were undercooked. Argh, nasty, nasty, flabby, pale and grown in the dark, sightless things. Like undercooked chips (fries) you can never completely erase the sense memory, and it gives you the fear every time you approach the same foodstuff in future.

Ugg..what a thought.

Umm, my bad. The recipe I sent some of you should say three sticks of butter, not 1-1/2.

Couldn't say, Ali. Maybe ZenGum's explanation is the one. I don't remember what they called the dish or how I came to pick it.

Some people like getting the syrup on their bacon or their eggs. I don't; I figure it impedes the eggs & b. experience, while altogether enhancing the pancake one.