What's scone wrong with my scones??

[littledawley]

Haven't made scones in years but DD wanted to bake today so, bored of fairy cakes, I suggested we make them. Followed the recipe from my trusty 'Dairy Book of Home Cookery' - they are rubbish!! Didn't rise and are all doughy in the middle!
When I was a teenager I used to knock up scones all the time that were perfect. All I can think is that either the oven was too hot or DD over-worked them. The mixture was really sticky so I had to add flour, could that be it??

You must handle scone dough as little as possible, with a very light hand! and press the cutter lightly and swiftly into your thick gently-patted-out-into-a-circle dough.

I saved Dan Lepard's tips from somewhere for really light scones, hope he doesn't mind me reproducing them, thanks Dan

"Scones, you asked about getting light scones.

The tricks are:

1. keep the dough very soft and sticky with milk, don't make it too dry. It sould flow very slightly when scraped out onto the floured bench.

1. Use a mixture of bicarb soda and cream of tartar, rather than baking powder, 2:1 as specified on the container. Most of the great scone makers I know swear by this combo rather than baking powder.

1. Bake them in a really hot oven, about 220C (200C fan) for about 15 minutes rather that lower for longer. This will make them 'jump' in the oven."

Thanks for the tips Apples. My recipe used SR flour rather than baking powder. Would you mind very much posting your recipe??

I use SR flour and baking powder.

The fat to flour ratio is 1:4 and I mix the dough as little as possible.

I find my very best scones are when I use buttermilk as the liquid.

Thanks - am determined to make good scones!

I just made some this morning (Nigella Domestic Goddess Book) and they were fab - she uses baking powder and cream of tartar too. Have eaten two already

love the idea of blaming either the oven or your dd for the failure of your scones - funny

The Nigella scones can't be beaten, they are delish.

whoimireally!!! Obviously it wasn't my fault!! Will try Nigella this week.

I always double sieve the flour for scones. Always works for me.

Nah, don't need to sieve flour or faff around with cream of tartar etc.

The trick is in the speed and lightness of hand and the hot oven.

And use butter, fgs, not marge!

Def butter - although Nige uses part butter, part Trex. (Is that lard? I just use extra butter as she says in the recipe)

Agree with lightness of hand for making good scones - if you have a preschooler helping though, I'd opt for the cream of tartar