Why are my scones shit, yes I'm looking at you Delia. <hard stare>

[GWenlockMaryLacey]

Followed the GBBO book to the letter. Shit scones.

Second batch, followed Delia to the letter. Shit scones. I even have actual buttermilk ffs.

First lot had burnt bottoms and were very dense. Second lot had burnt bottoms and tops and had shaped themselves into the Leaning Scones of Piza, some at a rather dramatic angle.

Am pissed off, hot and fed up with scones. I fear I have found my nemesis.

Uneven rising can be because of uneven temperature in the oven.

Don't use a rolling pin, just pat down.

Always make much thicker than recipes.

You can use yoghurt mixed with milk instead of buttermilk but I only do that when I have natural yog to use up.

Use SF flour and baking powder ( although you will get wind if you eat too many)

Dip cutter in flour so that do doesn't stick.

Don't make dough too soft or scones will spread.

I use one egg to one pound of flour, less rich than most scone recipes but I like the texture better but you cam make them without eggs if you don't have any ( you do need yoghurt or something acidic to help them rise if you leave out the egg).

That's all the tips I can think of right now.

Ooo some good tips here. Didn't know about the negative influence of the cutter. Why?
I use my mums recipe- no eggs (as wont rise so well) but brush with eggs before oven. But don't let egg run down over sides- again cos won't rise.
Oh and ALWAYS walnuts and also a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Mmmmm

Never used buttermilk, just normal milk.

Update: Third lot were shite too. Well, they didn't burn this time but they're still lopsided and a couple of them look like models of the elephant man, which is nice...

OK, I need to read through this thread slowly and take it all in. I will master this, just possibly not tonight!

Thank you btw :)

Just to put a cat among the pigeons, here's my recipe (inc TWO eggs and sugar ) which I have always found utterly foolproof:

1 lb SR flour
2 rounded tsp baking powder
3oz unsalted butter (room temp)
2oz caster sugar
225ml natural yoghurt (or buttermilk)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 220*C

In a small bowl, beat the eggs & combine with the yoghurt. Keep aside 2 tbsp for glazing.
Combine flour, baking powder, and butter to a breadcrumb texture.
Stir in the sugar.
Add the eggy yoghurt and mix well until you have a soft sticky dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until it's smooth and a bit springy.
Pat out to 1" thick, cut out with a 2" cutter.
Glaze tops with reserved egg mix.
Bake 10-15 mins until slightly browned on tops.
Cool on a rack.

TIPS:
Use a metal table knife (or pastry blender!) to cut & blend the butter into the flour to stop the butter from melting/going greasy from too much hand heat, then rub in quickly with fingers.

Dust your scone cutter in flour between each cut to stop the sides sticking, which stops the scone from rising. (For the same reason, don't put them too close together on the tray - at least a 1" gap or they rise wonky, and don't touch the sides when moving them to the tray, or drip the eggy glaze down the sides.)

Knock on the bottom of the scone to check if they're done - will sound hollow when ready.

I don't use eggs (apart from to glaze) and my scones are lovely

1:4 ratio of butter to SR flour + bakingpowder

If I have butter milk I use that, otherwise I sour some milk with lemon juice.

I handle the dough as little as possible, use a knife when I add the liquid - don't roll it just pat it.

Glaze them evenly and don't let it run down ths sides of they will rise lopsided

Use a hot oven (220) for ten mins

Ok I have to ask. You are making scones and not drop scones right?

GWen, theres some really goog reciped on Good Food, and Mary Berrys seem a good one, dont give up though, you'll get there!

Scones for cream and jam not drop scones (had to google those!) :)

In the cold light of day they taste ok but not very sconey so yes, Delia, you suck!

Might try again tonight if I have the energy so an reading thread and studying hard :o

Two top tips from Aussie Masterchef (best scones I've ever had) - don't twist the cutter just cut straight down and lift straight back up again and don't allow your egg or milk glaze to drip down the sides as this causes wonkiness

My scones are very hit and miss too, but a good tip from an aunt who made excellent scones was to ditch the cutter altogether, and to form the dough into a circle then cut wedges. Eliminates a lot of the handling that toughens up the dough (ie, working the gluten strands in the flour).

I know it has already been mentioned but... Be Ro Book!!!!!

I've never heard of a Be Ro book! I googled it and... order only by post? Cheque?

:o

My BeRo book is so old the print is sepia

My mum gave me it. She got it as as wedding present in the mid-1950s!

Good god, i had one of those books, years and years ago, basic but so useful.

nigella's scones are WONDERFUL!

You can pick up the BeRo book for about a quid in Morrisons in the baking aisle ( I got one for MIL there after not seeing one for years)
The chocolate spice cake is divine ( I leave out the mixed peel)

I've got my mums Be Ro recipe book and The Art of Home Cooking by the Stork margarine Cookery service (?) dated 1957

They are both falling apart and sepia/yellow.

I always put mine on a hot baking tray then into the oven and I use warm buttermilk (milk with a squeeze of lemon juice if I can't get buttermilk.) Stir in the liquid with a knife and pat into shape about an inch thick before cutting - smooth cutters are better at preventing lopsidedness than fluted cutters.