Pastry chef Lindsey Farr has shared the secret to achieving fluffier, taller scones: using cold, cubed butter. With decades of experience in New York restaurants, Farr emphasises that both the type of butter and the method of incorporation are crucial.
Cold butter prevents premature melting during baking, which helps create a lighter crumb. According to Farr, 'Keeping the butter cold limits gluten formation in two ways: by cutting the gluten strands short and by keeping the proteins cold. Cold butter will also release moisture via steam when it hits the hot oven, creating even more rise.'
The technique involves cutting the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or fingertips. This process, Farr explains, 'allows the butter to evenly coat all the flour, which will inhibit gluten formation. Too much gluten leads to tough rather than tender scones.'
Dispersing the fat throughout the dry ingredients results in lighter, flakier textures. Unlike cake or biscuit dough, scone dough requires cold butter to avoid a lumpy mixture. For best results, chop butter into small chunks, chill briefly, then cut into the dry ingredients before baking.
