MAKES ABOUT 8 SCONES
Scones have a bad reputation, largely due to those rock-hard, triangle-shaped atrocities found at subpar chain coffee shops. But that’s not the way it has to be. It’s time to get sconed, and this is the recipe to take you there: blueberry scones with a great crumb, texture, and taste.
The Baking Steel works the same magic here that it does on biscuits, creating a crisp exterior and a tender, moist interior. When scones cook evenly, the edges aren’t dried out by the time the inside is cooked through. But don’t take my word for it; let me know what you think after you’ve eaten about six of these.
550 grams (4½ cups) all-purpose flour
70 grams (½ cup) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
10 grams (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
12 grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder
4 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda
16 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1½ cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing the tops of the scones
135 grams (¾ cup) blueberries (or other sliced fruit; see note)
1. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and place the Baking Steel on top. Preheat oven to 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Add the cubed butter and press the pieces into the dry mixture using chilled hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the buttermilk and blueberries and mix together until no floury bits are clinging to the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and roll into a circle approximately 1 inch thick and 12 inches across. Cut, pizza-style, into 8 wedges.
6. Place the scones on a sheet of parchment paper.
7. Brush the tops of the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with more coarse sugar.
8. Either place your parchment on a sheet tray and put it on your Baking Steel or launch the parchment sheet directly onto your steel using a pizza peel. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes (rotating halfway through baking) or until golden on the top and sides. Remove from the Baking Steel and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store well-wrapped leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
EXTRA CREDIT The curious case of the soggy scones. Are you hesitant to make scones or muffins with fresh fruit because it always sinks and produces a soggy bottom? Happily, it’s possible to avoid that disappointment. Simply toss the fruit briefly with a tablespoon or so of flour, just enough to give it a coating. The flour absorbs some of the fruit’s moisture, which keeps the fruit afloat long enough for the baked goods to set.