Are some people genetically unable to bake scones? It's the only answer

[MossWalk]

I make a nice sponge and a good apple pie.

I have tried BBC Goodfoods, Mary Berry, Delia....

Today I tried the Kerrygold recipe and they look like bread rolls.

WHERE am I going wrong?!

I find Delias fairly foolproof.She uses buttermilk and making some during Lockdown I found his made them quite light .Also do not handle/roll out dough too thinly (about an 1 inch /thickness /2.54 cms) This should rise nicely .Her recipe calls for only about 6 scones as well.So fairly large baking tray well spread out Hot oven (pre heated) about gas mk 6/7 electric 190 c ) .Maybe wise to make some plain scones first then try fruity ones .Good luck!(Remember to buy the lashings of clotted /cream /jam as well of course!

You should also put them pretty close together on the tray (they shouldn't spread so you don't need to leave space like you would for biscuits) and putting them close together means something to do with water vapour saturating the area between the scones anyway, they rise straight up.

I pride myself on my scones. I just use Delia’s plain recipe and add whatever dry fruit I have hanging about. Never had a failure, never had a problem. In fact, I didn’t know bad scones were a thing.

However, you could use my Victoria sponge cakes as foundations for a skyscraper. I don’t understand how they rise AND are rock hard. I’ve tried, god knows I’ve tried. So I asked my Mum and it turns out that she has the same problem. So we asked my Gran. Yep, 3 generations of competent bakers (and in Mum’s case, brilliant) floored by the Victoria sponge. Definitely genetic!

I like my scones, i have just thrown one away though, which is 2 days old, or more.
i add raisins, or cheese, eat while hot, they are lovely
i make a great crumble
however i can't make sponges, or flap jack, i can make fairy cakes.

My SIL makes great scones, except when she is pregnant.

It could be something like the temperature of your hands OP

My hands are naturally cold and before the arthritis got them I made great pastry.

Delia has two foolproof (for me anyway) recipes: plain ones which have to be eaten at once, & Mediterranean ones from her 'Winter' cookbook.

I've never had scones which spread - I didn't know anyone could do that!!

The other day I adapted her plain scone recipe to make cheese scones - just leave out the sugar & add some mustard & grated cheese. Brush with the leftover milk/egg mixture & sprinkle grated cheese over. They made a fantastic lunch.

I don't bother rolling out the scone mix - too much faffing around - so I just divide up the mix & roll each piece in my hands then put it on the baking tray & flatten it slightly, keeping it nice & tall. They look a bit rustic but all the better for it, I think.

I once made scones for a baking competition at the local horticultural show & lost points because everyone except me knew that sweet scones need a round cutter while savoury ones use a wiggly cutter. Or vice versa, I can't remember, but I did it the wrong way round.

Rat & Crowd, how can you not make sponges? Especially if you can make fairy cakes. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but my fairy cake recipe is the same as my sponge recipe: 2oz of everything & 1 egg plus vanilla essence, baking powder & a few grains of salt.

Nigella cured one of my failures. DH used to complain that my crumbles were too stodgy & solid. Then I saw Nigella on TV & she put baking powder in hers - how did I not know/think of that? Anyway, mine are fine now & DH loves them.

PS I have blazingly hot hands. But I don't handle the scones much.

I agree totally with this. I'm a really proficient cook / baker but cannot make scones and my mum was the same. All the proof I need that it's genetic.

I have just thrown one away though, which is 2 days old, or more

Nooo! Scones no longer fit for jam and cream ie any older than half a day should be tidied away by frying in - lashings of- butter and serving for breakfast with crispy bacon.

Speed.
I can have perfect scones on the table in 15 mins.
Oven on
Scales out and measure flour and add a tablespoon of sugar. It amazes me how many husband, I'm looking at you cooks claim recipes don't work but wing it.
Add fat, and liquid (milk and yogurt, or milk and a squeeze of lemon or cream of tartar) and mix for about 10 seconds, bring it together with hands and pat it into a one inch flat shape to cut out small scones from. From mixer to floured board ready to cut takes no more than 30 seconds. I use a small fluted cutter somewhere between the size of a shot glass and a juice glass.
Into the oven for 12 mins.

Food processor is the way forward. Scones were my nemesis for years.

Today I measured carefully, barely touched the dough and used warm milk.

Crap. Slightly better than yesterday but no rise to them.

Even the dog turned his nose up!

Cakes perfect! my scones are rubbish, clearly there are quite a few of us who fail trying to make a decent scone.

carbuncle what a tremendous username. Quite aptly describes my scones too

I can do scones but I never ever managed to do porridge without looking and tasting like wallpaper glue.

Be it properly from scratch or Readybreak, with a friend looking over my shoulder and shaking her head resigning to the fact that there are things people just can’t make.

ifIwerenotanandroid I use fluted cutters for both, but use a square one for savoury ones, I don't know what they'd have made of me.

Moss what recipe are you using?

I think some people just can't. I worked in a small cafe and the owners could were great cooks but couldn't do scones so I offered to have a go, I'm terrible but my scones have always been amazing. No idea how

I'm generally a rubbish baker (pretty slap dash) but my scones are always amazing for some reason.

I also use the BBC good food classic recipe. I barely touch them after rubbing in the butter, other than to stir the milk and lemon juice in with a cutlery knife, flatten them a bit with my hands (I like them thick) and then use the flat edge of a cutter to make the shapes.

I have put on half a stone in lockdown, partly due to scones. I bloody love them!!!

I have the gene. I use the Delia recipe with about 2/3 of the milk she suggests.

Polkadots, they'd probably rip off your epaulettes & ban you from the society.

Anybody who's interested, try this Delia recipe...

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/meals-and-courses/lunch-and-snacks/feta-olive-and-sun-blush-tomato-scones

Scones on Celebrity Bake Off, C4 right now!