Baker and social media star Jane Dunn, known as Jane's Patisserie, has shared her secret for making perfect scones: adding buttermilk to the dough. This simple ingredient provides acidity that reacts with baking powder or baking soda, creating carbon dioxide bubbles for a higher rise and a lighter, more tender texture. The acid also breaks down gluten, resulting in less dense and taller scones.
Why Buttermilk Works
Buttermilk is a natural byproduct of butter-making or cultured for supermarkets. It helps scones rise by reacting with chemical leaveners, producing an airier crumb. Jane explains that making your own buttermilk is cheaper and easier: just combine 250ml of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, let it rest for five minutes, and use it in the recipe.
Jane's Buttermilk Scone Recipe
Ingredients
- 475g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 175g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 75g caster sugar
- 175ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Milk or egg wash for brushing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and preheat a large baking tray.
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and sugar. Rub together with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add buttermilk and vanilla, mixing as little as possible until just combined. Use a spatula and hands.
- Gently press the dough onto a floured surface to about 3-4cm thick. Cut out scones with a floured cutter (do not twist). Jane uses a 5-6cm cutter to make 8-10 scones.
- Place scones on the preheated tray, brush tops with milk or egg wash.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or fully cooled with clotted cream and jam.
Jane emphasizes not to overwork the dough to keep scones tender. Her video has garnered over 24,700 views, with fans praising the recipe's ease and results. One commenter noted, "I just make my own buttermilk too." Whether you prefer jam first or cream first, these buttermilk scones promise a delicious taste and a gorgeous rise.
