A scone is a crisp combination of butter, tenderness, and crunch. Like pasta, pizza, vanilla cake, and white walls, scones take color well—they’re the perfect place to use your culinary imagination. This scone was inspired by spiced tea, or chai, which I learned about from an Indian friend. Hot milk, black tea, grated ginger, and a spoonful of sugar are combined and steeped, then strained, and served. The tea is invigorating, perfect in cold months. The scones are best if made with freshly ground whole spices.
Spices
The difference between freshly ground spices and the dusty jars of ground cloves you inherited from grandma is similar to the gap between ramen flavor packets and bone broth made with aromatics. I don’t use freshly ground spices for everything, but in recipes such as Ginger Scones or Spiced Honey Bread the difference is worth the effort.
If you don’t have a dedicated spice mill, keep an eye out for one at your thrift store. I see them all the time. I also have a small mortar and pestle, which I use with surprising regularity and excellent results, even if just for bruising things such as cumin seeds before adding them to a dish.
If you need to go with packaged ground spices, check to see that what you have is still vibrant and aromatic, or, mention the name of a well-reviewed spice house to a loved one a few weeks before your birthday. You, your mouth, and those you bake for will thank you!
Scones are versatile and can be bent toward sweet or savory. If you’d like, we can spend time debating whether these are simply biscuits with extra ingredients or true scones. While you give your opening remarks, considering the ingredients and lack of eggs and citing “traditional” accompaniments to afternoon tea, I will stuff my face. I will enjoy the hit of pepper on the top crust, the color of fresh chives, the chew of roasted corn, the pockets of melted cheese, and the crunch of grits. So keep talking; my mouth is full, anyway.
You may imagine these with a zesty bowl of tomato soup or even rich vegetable stew. . . . Honestly, I have never saved any for dinner.
Egg Wash
Brushing or glazing is quite common before baking. It adds to the color and the shine of the finished product, and helps toppings stick. One whole egg, whisked together with a few grains of salt to help break up the proteins, is sufficient for a few batches of bread or scones. Once made, the egg wash may be stored, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also add another egg to any leftover wash and scramble up some breakfast.