Can You Make Scones Without Butter Or Margarine

July 16, 2022

We’re going to tell you which steps are crucial (don’t skip the rubbing in of the butter) and which can be flexed!These scones are round, almost cylinder like shaped, often with a curved on the outside.They don’t have to be round anymore and come in various shapes, sizes and even flavors.Compare a ‘typical’ British scones to an American one and you’ll likely notice a difference in size, sweetness and absence (or presence) of fillings.But, biscuits tend to be savoury, even salty, whereas most scones are more neutral, or slightly sweet.Classic British scones in the UK, eaten with clotted cream & jam.You can tear a chunk from a baguette, but it won’t break or fall apart easily.The reason these breads behave this way is because of the formation of a gluten network.These breads are kneaded extensively, or left to rest for long periods of time.When making scones on the other hand, you do NOT want this gluten network to form.The absence of a gluten network helps keep a scone flaky.Another important factor contributing to the flakiness is the presence of pockets of fat.Fat prevents proteins, but also starches in the flour from coming together and forming a structure.In the oven, these leavening agents will react and form carbon dioxide, a gas.To create a nice, light texture, it’s also important to add the right amount of liquid.You can use baking soda if you’ve added an acidic ingredient to the dough (e.g. buttermilk, vinegar, lemon juice).Savory scones, these do start to show overlaps with the American biscuit!Step one of most scones recipes tends to be to: rub in the butter (or other type of solid fat) into the flour.Most commonly you’ll find recipes using butter, margarine, lard, or shortening.They can all make a good scone, with slight differences in texture.The liquid oil won’t be able to make those larger pockets of fat.As we’ll learn in the next step, overmixing only becomes a problem once water joins the party.As such, you can rub in the fat by hand, but you might just as well use a food processor, or a stand mixer for instance.For a gluten network to form, you need water, time and kneading.Water ensures the protein molecules can move freely, to find each other and interact.When kneading a dough, you’re actively helping the gluten network to form.It’s why any scone recipe will caution you against extensive kneading or mixing once you’ve added the water.As soon as the dough starts to come together, stop the mixer and continue by hand.Keep in mind though that some fillings help improve the flakiness of a scone, whereas other can do the exact opposite!Generally speaking, fat-based fillings will be easy to incorporate without ruining the texture.Water based, very liquid fillings on the other hand, should be handled with care.Therefore, cheese will serve a similar function as the butter in your scone, it will help keep it crumbly and light.The more you knead and break it, the more moisture will be released and the more the scone will be affected.A good fruit we found is cranberries, they barely release any moisture when they’re uncooked!If you do want to add more moist fruit, reduce the amount of milk you’re adding.If there are still large clumps of flour or pockets with a lot of water, it won’t hold together in those areas.If you double the amount of butter in our recipe, they’ll turn out more like cookies (we tested it for you).Keep in mind that after rubbing in the fat into the flour, it should give a crumbly texture.Using milk instead of water can give a slightly browner scone and a little (but not much) extra flavor.If your scones barely rise in the oven, reconsider the amount of water you’ve added.If you’re using baking soda, take care that you’ve added at least one sour ingredient (e.g. buttermilk).By now, it’s hopefully clear that you do have a lot of creative freedoms when making scones.This ensures an even distribution of the fat and the creation of those buttery pockets.Top left : substitutes milk for water, a little bland in color, but identical taste-wise.Bottom two : contain twice the amount of butter, turned out more like cookies than scones! .

One Bowl Cream Scones (no butter, so easy)

Instead, the scones get their tender crumb and buttery flavor from heavy cream, stirred right into the flour mixture.With the exception of the eponymous cream, you likely have the remaining five ingredients on hand.A complete list of the ingredients, with amounts and instructions, is located in the recipe card below.I use plain, fine table salt for my baking recipes.I use plain, fine table salt for my baking recipes.In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.Set aside 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the cream (a ramekin, cup, or any small vessel.Using a fork, gently combine into a thick dough, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.Turn the dough out onto a small, lightly floured board or dinner plate (one that will fit in your freezer).Cup your hands around the sides to gently shape the dough–it does not need to be a perfect circle.Sprinkling the tops of the scones with sugar adds sparkle and crunch once baked.Chilling the dough facilitates a better rise and lighter texture.Remove the chilled dough from the freezer and place it on the prepared baking sheet.Carefully pull the wedges away from each other (creating 1 to 2 inches space between the scones).Bake the scones in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until risen and golden brown.Scones are traditional British fare, typically served with tea, but here in the States they are most often served for breakfast or brunch (a close cousin to the humble muffin).Few things, however, beat the pairing of scones with jam (marmalade, preserves and jelly fall into this category).A: No, the recipe depends on the high fat content of heavy whipping cream.Drier fruits (e.g., blueberries or pieces of apple) are easier to incorporate into the dough than delicate raspberries.Stir fresh fruit in with the cream, using a gentle hand to mix.Grease or lightly spray the baking sheet instead of lining with parchment paper.A: Overmixing and/or overhandling the dough is the reason (the gluten–protein– in the flour is easily activated with too much mixing).Use the lightest touch to combine the dough and handle it as little as possible when shaping. .

Cream scones vs. butter scones

Imagine wandering into the kitchen on a chilly weekend morning, craving your favorite cream scones.You pull out your go-to recipe, gather your flour and sugar, then open the fridge only to gasp audibly.Your scone dreams aren’t crushed; you don’t need to abandon your beloved recipe.Swap butter and milk for heavy cream in any basic scone recipe, so you can always bake these classic treats — no matter what kind of dairy is in your fridge.If you’re a person who faithfully plans baking ahead and always has the necessary ingredients on hand, this substitution is still worth learning.Best for: Enjoying as is or with a cup of coffee or tea; can also be dressed up as shortcake and served alongside fruit.Cream scones' delicate texture is also just right for highlighting flavors like cardamom, cinnamon, espresso powder, and more.Reason to love them: They’re quick and easy to make and don’t require working the fat into the dry ingredients.With our easy substitution, you’ll be able to convert back and forth based on what you’re looking for (or what’s in your fridge at the moment).If your recipe doesn’t call for a full cup of heavy cream, scale down the amount of butter and milk that’s used accordingly.This ratio also works if you’d like to go in the other direction: You can replace the butter and milk in your recipe with heavy cream, basically using the same approach.Working in the cold butter in this fashion will give you a layered, slightly flaky scone.(Note: Let the butter and milk cool slightly if your recipe calls for adding eggs to the liquid.We put the substitution ratio to the test by comparing our classic Cream Tea Scones (left) with a batch converted to butter and milk (right).If you add a full cup of cream, your dough will be quite sticky, especially if the recipe also calls for eggs.Any leftover cream can be brushed on top of the dough to help your scones turn beautifully golden brown as they bake.If you keep in mind the tips and tricks we’ve taught you here, you’ll be able to transform any scone recipe to get exactly the results you’re looking for.We hope you'll whip up a batch and try a new flavor combination, or perhaps convert your favorite cream scones recipe to butter and milk to see which version you like best. .

Plain Scones

These Plain Scones are a traditional English treat enjoyed with afternoon tea.They are absolutely delicious topped with jam and clotted cream, although I'll leave it up to you which one goes on first!In this series I will be sharing recipes for basic baked goods, think a classic Victoria sponge cake, a brilliant white bread loaf, and ultimate gooey chocolate brownies!This series is mainly for beginner bakers who want to learn the secrets behind baking, because getting the basics right is the best place to start.The full ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the end of this post.This post is full of helpful tips and commonly asked questions when making scones, so I do recommend reading through it all first.They do not need yeast to rise, and instead rely on baking powder and self raising flour.They can be made plain, or things like dried fruit and chocolate chips can be added.A food processor does come in handy if you don't want to get your hands dirty, or for convenience, but I rarely use one when making these scones.The main things you want to make sure you have are round cutters, as you need to cut out the scones with them.*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links.I recommend using 3 teaspoons baking powder for this recipe if you use plain or all purpose flour.Add the cold butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until it is combined and the whole mixture resembles breadcrumbs.Flatten it out onto a floured surface and create a roughly rectangular shape.Place the scones onto a lined baking tray and brush with beaten egg.I find that circular scones rise more evenly, and they feel like the natural shape for afternoon tea (although I am British so I would say that!).A reader told me that their mother puts the cut out rounds of scone dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking them, so I had to give this a go.This apperance is created by brushing the unbaked scones with some beaten egg before they go in the oven.Make sure the egg doesn't run down the side of the scones as this can affect the rise.You can gently tap the bottom of the scones and they will sound hollow, similar to how you test if a loaf of bread is cooked.Scones are always better fresh, in fact about 10 minutes after they've come out of the oven is the perfect time to enjoy them.Once they're fully cool, you can store them in an airtight container for 2 days, and you can also freeze them for up to 3 months.Replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend, make sure the baking powder you're using is gluten free, and add ¼ tsp Xanthan gum.If you can't find a gluten free self raising flour blend, you can use a gluten free plain flour blend, but you will need to add an additional ¼ tsp Xanthan gum and 3 tsp gluten free baking powder.Your baking powder and/or your self raising flour is old and out of date, so has lost it's rising power.Scones actually don't rise that much, so the unbaked dough does need to be fairly thick.Plain Scones Perfect fluffy scones, great for afternoon tea with jam and clotted cream 5 from 11 votes Print Pin Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Total Time: 37 minutes Servings: 8 Author: thebakingexplorer Ingredients For the scones 400 g Self raising flour.Put the self raising flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir together.(You can make the scones bigger or smaller if you like by using different size cutters.).Put the dough rounds onto a lined baking tray and glaze the top with the beaten egg.Bake for 12-14 minutes until the scones are risen, golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.Cool on a rack and then slice or break in half and serve with jam and clotted cream, or any other topping of your choice. .

How to Make Scones

You can dress them up by adding nuts, citrus zest, or chocolate chips.Or simply serve them plain alongside some local jam or homemade flavored butter.How to Make Scones Overview: How to Make the BEST Scone Recipe Combine the dry ingredients: in a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.Whisk the wet ingredients: in a separate large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract.If you’re adding in any flavorings such as chocolate chips or dried fruit, add them in now.Cut each round into 8 wedges and place on prepared baking pans.Brush egg wash over the scones and bake until golden brown.As the steam escapes, it bursts up and creates that beautiful tall, flaky, fluffy texture.My absolute favorite tool for making biscuits or scone dough quickly and easily by hand (so I don’t have to lug out my food processor) is this OXO bladed pastry blender.If at any point you notice the butter become greasy and melty, pop the dough into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before proceeding.You can also pop the baking sheet of shaped unbaked scones in the fridge or freezer while the oven preheats to ensure the butter remains nice and cold.How to Make Tall, Flaky Scones BONUS tip: We’re stealing a trick from croissant baking that I use in my Best Ever Pie Crust recipe!A little bit of lamination gets the scones to shoot up sky high with tons of flaky layers.Check out my How to Make Tall Scones & Biscuits article for more tips.I actually demonstrated this during a live Zoom class exclusively for HTH Students earlier this year.But you can add in about 3/4 cup of dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc., to the dough.Use a spatula to gently fold in 1 1/2 cups blueberries to the scone dough as a final step before shaping.Citrus zest, to taste, if desired Directions: Whisk all glaze ingredients together until thick but still pourable.Easy scone recipe that is ultra buttery, flaky, and flavorful.Coarse sugar Directions Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat to 400°F.In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla extract.Cut each round into 8 wedges and place on your prepared baking pans.MAKE AHEAD At this point the unbaked scones can be refrigerated overnight, or sealed and frozen for up to 1 month.In a small bowl, combine the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water.Recipe Video Recipe Notes OPTIONAL STEP : Here's how to laminate your scone dough: Turn the craggly mass of scone dough out onto your work surface.Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes!This recipe was originally published in May 2017 and was recently updated in 2021 with new photos and more baking tips! .

Vegan scones

We are painting this weekend with little breaks for wall paper stripping in another room, but since we’ve only just started we are in high spirits, very motivated and enjoying the ride so far.I’ve been thinking that plastering may be something within my skill set for a while, but what finally motivated me was a rather unpleasant experience.So while I will probably be up a ladder with a steamer in one hand and a scraper in the other as you read this, I will take a few minutes to share this new recipe for vegan scones with you to sweeten up your weekend.It wasn’t until I learned to make them myself that I’ve become a convert and also realised that the scones I did try must have been stale and overworked.Handled correctly, they will end up light and fluffy with a nicely browned, crispy crust.Once the scones are out of the oven, wait for them to cool down a bit and then cut them in half with a serrated knife.While Devon scones feature clotted cream at the bottom and jam on top, Cornwall insists that the reverse order is the only correct way to serve them. .

Butter, margarine and oil: a baker's guide – The Hummingbird Bakery

These and other fats are essential for creating a moist, fluffy crumb in your sponge and deliciously flaky golden pastry.Here we discuss the differences between butter, margarine spreads, shortening, lard and oil so that you can have a better understanding of the role fats play in your baking.The high fat content of butter keeps the sponge moist and tender whilst also providing a delicious buttery flavour that you won’t get with margarine or oils.Loved for its ease of spreading and scooping, margarine has long been a choice ingredient for bakers as its soft texture makes it light work to whip up into buttercream frosting or to cream into sugar for a sponge cake.Vegetable oil is the base of shortening and it is hydrogenated like margarine to make it into a solid block for cooking.You’ll find that lard is excellent at creating a very flaky pie crust and soft, rich cookies.You’ll often see vegetable oil as a wet ingredient to be added to box cake mixes and it makes for a very glossy, runny batter. .