Help! Scone emergency!

[mrsmalumbas]

Hi there - I foolishly promised to make scones for cream teas at our fundraiser on Sunday and just cannot get them right. Tried Delia's recipe and they came out a bit flat and dry. Tried Nigellas recipe and they rose a bit more but were tasteless - not enough sugar? I now have 36 inedible scones.

I want a nice, well risen, light scone. Pretty please - can anyone help?!!

These are great and never fail:-

makes about 12

225g/8oz SR flour
a small pinch of salt
55g/2oz butter
150ml/1/4 milk - fresh or sour

Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Rubin the butter with fingertips until all resembles crumbs. Mix in the milk. Form into a soft dough with a palette knife. Knead lightly on a floured board then pat out into a round 2cm thick. Cut into 5cm/2in rounds with a cutter.

Place on a greased and floured tray and brush with milk. Bake in pre heated oven at 220 / 425 / GM 7 for 10 mins until well risen and golden

VARIATIONS

sweet - add 55g/2oz caster sugar to dry ingredients

fruit - ADd 55g/2oz dried fruit and 25g/1oz caster sugar

savoury - add 85g/3oz finely grated hard cheese and 1 tsp dry mustard or 2oz chopped olives, anchovies or wahtever you fancy

I have made these dozens of times and they are always lovely

Thank you! The Nigella ones only had 15g of butter in which just didn't seem enough.

I will give them a try first thing in the morning!

Okey dokey, well MamaG I did try your recipe and am sorry to say I am still not happy - my scones are still not really rising, they are okay, but don't have that lovely light softness and height I am after. I find that with a recipe that says makes 12, if I roll the dough out thin enough to get 12 rounds, I get 12 thin little scones.

What am I doing wrong??! I have been googling for perfect scones and I don't think I am doing the obvious things like overworking the dough or twisting the cutter. Would adding lots of baking powder help?

I only have enough flour for two more batches which I should be able to make in thne morning - please help me make nice ones! I might have to join the WI in desperation. If they'd have me, of course.

i used an online delia recipe after some flat scone disasters and they were better

the recipe had an egg

i use a mix.

i have tried and tried and can never get them right.

i also mix them in the food processor with a dough blade.

A mix!!

I guess I could resort to that...

The ironic thing is that DD had a scone in a cafe today and it was scrumptious. Maybe I should just nip down there in the morning and buy a job lot.

bet they made it from a mix, mrsm

really Mrs M I 'm very surrpised they failed you! Maybe your oven is shit

Try this one.
350g sr flour
85g butter
300ml buttermilk (or 284ml carton)
1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
Pinch salt.

If no buttermilk then add 1tsp lemon juice to normal milk and leave for 20mins.

Mix dry ingredients together and rub in butter. Add buttermilk and quickly mix to a dough. Roll out and bake.

They have NEVER failed me. I promise you.