A French-trained baker has shared that the secret to lighter, fluffier scones lies in swapping one simple ingredient. Danielle Ellis, who runs the recipe blog Severn Bites, recommends using buttermilk instead of ordinary milk to achieve the best results.
Why buttermilk beats milk in scones
Ellis stressed that "ingredients are important" in scone-making and pointed to buttermilk as the crucial one to source. She explained, "Once I started making scones with buttermilk, they got better and better."
Traditional buttermilk is the liquid left over from butter production, but the shop-bought version is actually low-fat milk with added bacteria and cultures. This gives it the tanginess and acidity that help scones rise, resulting in remarkably fluffy and airy bakes.
Simple substitutes if you lack buttermilk
If buttermilk is unavailable, a blend of equal parts low-fat natural yoghurt and ordinary milk can be used instead. Alternatively, milk can be soured by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice to each 250ml of full-fat milk, then leaving it to rest for a couple of minutes.
How to make tastier scones
Ellis said her recipe is one she's "tired and tested" that "always comes out well" and "makes the best scones you have ever made".
For six scones, you need 225g of plain flour, 8g of baking powder, 45g of butter, one large egg, 125ml of buttermilk, a pinch of salt, plus either 25g of caster sugar and 50g of raisins for a sweet version, or 100g of mature cheese and 5g of smoked paprika for a savoury one.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6 and dust flour on a baking tray. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, then rub in diced butter until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar for sweet scones or fold in 75g of cheese and paprika for savoury ones.
Crack in the egg and mix with a fork, then gradually add the buttermilk to form a soft dough. Shape it into a rectangle about 2.5cm deep, cut with a 60mm cutter without twisting, and place on the tray. Glaze with beaten egg, scatter leftover cheese on savoury scones, and bake for 12 minutes until light golden brown.
Serve warm. Scones can be stored in the fridge for a few days but should always be reheated before eating.
