Lighthearted comment on scone making.

[valder]

First of all I use the three ingredient method every time for sweet scones (Flour, cream and lemonade) and just cream and flour + salt and grated cheese for savoury.

Anyway, I was just wondering WHY are scones usually cut into rounds? There is so much faff and bits left over and remodelling the bits (that never turn out well). Is it a traditional thing or what?

I just shape the dough into a rectangle and use a scraper/cutter to make squares. So easy and no faff.

What do you do?

Just eating my giant cheese scones 😊, I just cut them into squares/rectangles.
i don’t bother with rounds.

i don’t mind odd shaped scones as it’s only me that eats cheese scones.

I’ve certainly eaten scones that were just cut into square-ish dough shapes with a knife.

Brilliant! I've just made a couple of my signature wholemeal/seeded bread loaves. Kitchen smells great. I don't know why I didn't make some scones too. No cream lol.

I adore cheese scones too. Far too much I'm afraid!

Though everyone just rolls the scraps from whatever method together to make a final scone, surely?

I know some people use the square cutting method, but honestly every single video I've seen on scone making involves rounds. If I missed one with squares, point me to it!

Makes such perfect sense doesn't it? But maybe people are just used to rounds I dunno. I've never had any complaints about my "Squares" 😊

Yes, but that final scone is either tiny or bigger than the rest (I like uniformity lol) and it NEVER tastes as nice as those made with a roundy cutter. Too much handling I reckon.

This is lighthearted so I'm not THAT bothered, but just wondered!

I use flour, milk, and grated cheese for scones - I’ve never tried cream. Anyway I cut mine into triangles

I agree - rolling out and using a cutter means you handle the dough more and scones need as little handling as possible

I split my mixture into two and pat each half into a round then cut each into eight wedges. I think scones taste better and have a better texture with minimal handling of the dough, so I don't like to mess about with rolling, cutting, re-rolling etc. The wedge shaped scones have a lovely, rustic homemade look to them.

Yes, wedges - that’s what I meant when I said triangles! Couldn’t think of the word

Oh the wedges from one big round are a good idea, will do that next time - for a change from squares!.

Do the rounds cook more evenly, no risk of overcooked corners?

I've started cutting the dough into squares rather than cutting rounds to save the faff of reconstituting all the bits.

As an aside, when you say you only use flour, do you mean SR flour, or do you use any raising agent??

I use SR flour, cream and lemonade. Or SR, cream, grated cheese.

Natural yogurt can be substituted for the cream but I'm far too indulgent to be THAT healthy lol.

I think as the round cutters are more common. I feel like I do remember square shaped cutters from when I was younger but might be wrong. I'm definitely making square ones next time. It's one roll, cut up, in oven, eat. Easy peasy.

Could you please share the recipe ? Is it one of the equal measures of each type ?

I use flour, butter, a beaten egg topped up with milk with either a bit is sugar and dried fruit or salt pepper mustard, fresh herbs and cheese. Never heard of lemonade in scones. If I’m in a hurry I shape the mixture into a round and score it into wedges but usually use a round cutter. Have had square scones in a cafe in Holland once. Agree best not to over handle the mixture however you decide to shape them.

Cream and lemonade isn't in any recipe I know! Fascinating

I suspect the cooking would be more even on rounds than with corners

We divide the mixture evenly , roll each bit into a ball and than flatten a bit

This is what I do. As most of you know already, don't overwork the dough as it makes it tough. I make these a little "higher" than the butter method and they rise great. The cream is the fat (obviously!). Single or double cream will work.

www.taste.com.au/recipes/3-ingredient-scones-recipe/3e9oa8jv

Oh and it's a good idea to place the uncooked scones close to each other to help the rise, as the sides of each scone support the other to prevent a flattening.

I reckon cream is easier than butter for the rubbing in, worse job in baking.

while the cream and lemonade theory makes sense, I’d worry if using diet lemonade about nasty sweetener tastes!
I sometimes make scones the traditional way but use icing sugar instead of caster. They’re less heavy.
Agree that wedges are a good alternative to rounds, cheese in particular, where the dough seems to break up easily.

I’m not going to comment on the horror that lemonade sounds like 😱

I made round sweet ones and wedge cheese and herb ones. I also make marmite and cheese ones that are like cinnamon buns.

I read somewhere that traditionally sweet scones are round and square ones are savoury.

Whatevs. I do mine the same shape whatever the flavour - rustic circles, no cutter required. Roll the dough into a short fat log and slice chunky circles off it, at least 3cm high. Lightly reshape circles a bit with floured hands if necessary but keep handling to a minimum. Perfecto.

Lemonade??

I make wedges unless I need them to look fancy, then I use a drinking glass to cut them. Squares are common for American style biscuits which are plain unsweetened scones really.