Blueberry Scones
By J. Kenji Lopez-AltPublished on January 29, 2013
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Makes 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
It is important to work the dough as little as possible—work quickly and knead and fold the dough only the number of times called for. The butter should be well-chilled before grating. In hot or humid environments, chill the flour mixture and workbowls before use. If fresh berries are unavailable, an equal amount of frozen berries (do not defrost) can be substituted. An equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Cut larger berries into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces before incorporating. Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and recrisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen. See final step for information on making the scone dough in advance.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grate 8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter on large holes of box grater and place in freezer. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and set aside. Place 1½ cups fresh blueberries in freezer until needed.
- Whisk together ½ cup whole milk and ½ cup sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Whisk 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour, ½ cup sugar (3½ ounces), 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt, and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. Using spatula, transfer the dough to a liberally floured work surface. Dust the surface of the dough with flour and, with floured hands, knead the dough 6 to 8 times until it just holds together in a ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll the dough into an approximate 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to release the dough if it sticks to the countertop. Lift the short ends of the dough and fold into thirds again to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll into an approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface of the dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in the dough. Using a bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen the dough from the work surface. Roll the dough, pressing to form a tight log. Lay it seam-side down and press the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet,
- Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
- After placing the scones on the baking sheet, either refrigerate them overnight or freeze. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and follow directions in step 6. For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees, follow directions in step 6, and extend cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Makes 8Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our ultimate blueberry scone recipe, we wanted to bring together the sweetness of a coffeehouse confection, the moist freshness of a muffin, the richness of clotted cream and jam, and the super-flaky crumb of a good biscuit. Increasing the amount of butter and adding enough sugar gave the scones sweetness without making them cloying; cutting frozen butter into the flour and giving the dough a few folds helped the scones rise; and rolling out the dough before pressing the berries into it and rolling it up like a jellyroll before flattening it and cutting out the scones all contributed to making this our ideal scone recipe.
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