Scone Base

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Gently stir in the frozen butter pieces, tossing them around to make sure they are all completely coated with the flour mixture. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the base.

MAKES 8 cups (1.37kg/48oz)

INGREDIENTS

6 cups (810g/28.6oz) all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons (36g/1.2oz) baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons (42g/1.5oz) granulated sugar (optional)

1 cup/2 sticks (226g/8oz) unsalted butter, frozen or very cold, grated (see Tip)

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GRATING BUTTER

Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place a large-hole box grater in the center of the pan. If your butter comes in 1-pound blocks, cut it into 4 pieces. Take one piece out of the freezer at a time. Roll one stick of butter in flour just to coat. Working quickly, grate the frozen or very cold butter, moving the grater across the pan as you go so that the butter does not clump into one pile. As soon as you are done with one piece, quickly continue grating the remaining pieces. Spread the shreds across the pan and place in the freezer.

MAKING AND SHAPING SCONES

The trick to flaky scones is to handle the dough as little as possible. The recipes in this chapter all use the same basic technique. Follow these simple steps and you will become a pro at making scones in no time.

  1. Create a well in the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients. Stir only until the dough comes together.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
  3. Using a bench scraper, fold the dough over onto itself from back to front. Give it a half turn and do it one more time.
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    Fold the dough over onto itself from back to front.

  4. Gently pat the dough into a 6- to 7-inch round about 1 inch thick. Use the width of your extended hand (pinky to thumb) to determine the approximate size of the round.
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    Determine the approximate size of the round using the width of your extended hand from pinky to thumb.

  5. With a lightly floured chef’s knife, cut the dough into 6 equal wedges.
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    Cut the dough into 6 equal wedges.

  6. Store the dough in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.