A Great British Bake Off 2026 contestant has revealed a simple extra step that helps homemade scones rise perfectly and stay tall: chilling them in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
Gary's key step for a tall rise
Gary, a contestant on the show, shared his top tips in a recent video after receiving many questions about his scone recipe and how home bakers can achieve a good rise. He explained that while making the dough is fairly simple, an additional step before baking helps the scones keep their shape and stay tall.
When mixing the scone dough, Gary advises ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated. The dough is ready when the stand mixer is "nice and dry inside". When punching out the scones, the cutter should be well-dusted with flour to prevent sticking, which can affect the rise.
Chilling and egg washing
Gary recommends lightly egg washing the tops of the scones, making sure no egg drips down the sides, as this will affect the rise. Before baking, he urges bakers to leave the scones to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, calling this one of the most important steps for a perfectly risen scone. The chill helps the dough keep its shape and rise perfectly.
Gary's video has been viewed over 198,000 times, receiving 5,557 likes and 171 comments at the time of writing. Former Great British Bake Off champion Rahul commented "Perfection." Nina wrote: "What perfect looking scones. You've inspired me to have a go. Never made them before!" Fellow contestant Yannis said: "Gazza I need to follow this recipe of yours they look perfect." Ruth suggested: "I always use buttermilk and egg as it reacts well with the raising agent for a good rise." Helen added: "Thanks for saying scone and not sconn, that's a big win in my book. Oh and the scones look amazing."
Gary's scone recipe
Gary's recipe uses 500g strong white flour, two medium eggs plus one beaten for egg wash, 75g caster sugar, 30g baking powder, 75g softened butter, 225ml milk, and 100g sultanas. The method involves preheating the oven to 220C or gas mark 7, lining a baking tray, and mixing all ingredients except the egg wash and sultanas in a food mixer with a paddle blade for two minutes on slow speed (about five minutes by hand). Sultanas are then incorporated, and the dough is rolled out to 3-4cm thickness. Cutting straight down is imperative for a good rise. After placing on a baking tray and lightly brushing tops with egg wash, the scones chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. They are then brushed with egg wash again on the tops only and baked for 15 minutes, before cooling on a wire rack.
