Baker Lizzie Crowther, the creative force behind recipe blog Lizzie Likes, has shared a fluffy scone recipe that replaces ordinary milk with a key ingredient: buttermilk. The recipe, originally from Mary Berry, has been adapted by Crowther to ensure a light and airy result.
Why buttermilk is the secret
According to Crowther, buttermilk reacts with baking powder to help scones rise properly and achieve a beautiful airy texture. She said: "This recipe uses buttermilk, which is the key to the fluffiness and lightness. When it reacts with the baking powder in the mixture, it allows the scones to rise properly and create the beautiful airy texture. I love using buttermilk in baking."
Crowther notes that buttermilk comes in several varieties, with the thicker kind sold in plastic pots being the most widely available. For her recipe, she opts for the thinner kind packaged in a standard milk carton. She said: "Either is fine, but if using the thinner kind, you may need slightly less to get the dough to the right consistency for these fluffy scones. I find adding it a little at a time until the dough looks right works well."
How to make fluffier and lighter scones
Ingredients (makes seven to eight)
- 225g of self-raising flour
- One heaped teaspoon of baking powder
- 40g of butter
- 40g of caster sugar
- One large egg
- 100 to 140ml of buttermilk
Method
Begin by heating the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6 and lightly grease a baking tray with butter. Combine the flour, baking powder and butter in a bowl, rubbing the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. For a speedier approach, blitz the ingredients in a food processor.
Fold in the sugar along with any extra ingredients. Whisk the egg and buttermilk together in a jug, reserving one tablespoon for the egg wash, then gradually incorporate the remainder into the flour mixture. The dough should be moist yet manageable. If it becomes too wet, work in extra flour to firm it up.
Dust a surface with flour, turn out the dough and work it with your hands for a couple of minutes until smooth. Roll it out to roughly one inch thick, then stamp out seven to eight scones with a cutter. Arrange on the baking sheet and coat with the reserved egg wash. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden, allow to cool briefly, then serve with fresh cream and jam or preferred toppings.
