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Sweet-Milk Scones with Onion

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

35 minutes

Yield

Makes 8-9 scones

Sweet-Milk Scones with Onion

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small onion, minced2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cream of tartar ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon table salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces¾ cup whole milk

Before You Begin

Work the dough quickly, don't overmix, and put the dough rounds into the heated oven as soon as possible. The process--from mixing to pulling the finished scones out of the oven--shouldn't take more than twenty minutes. Scones are best served warm and fresh. This recipe can be doubled.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Add onion and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
  3. Sift first 4 ingredients into large bowl, or measure into workbowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade; pulse until blended. With pastry blender, 2 knives, or steel blade of a food processor, cut or process butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Transfer to a medium bowl and add onions, stir to combine.
  4. Make a well in the center of mixture and pour in milk. Working quickly, blend ingredients together with a rubber spatula into a soft, slightly wet dough. Turn dough onto a well-floured work surface.
  5. Quickly roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Use a lightly greased and floured 3-inch biscuit cutter to stamp dough with one decisive punch, cutting close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour as often as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Push scraps of dough together so that edges join; firmly pinch edges with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat this remaining dough to 1/2 inch thick; continue to cut 3-inch rounds. Place dough rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake until scones are lightly brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.
Sweet-Milk Scones with Onion

Sweet-Milk Scones with Onion

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

35 minutes

Yield

Makes 8-9 scones

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup whole milk

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup whole milk

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup whole milk

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

During testing, we discovered two secrets to an authentic scone recipe, one that produced light and fluffy scones with a delicate texture: working the dough quickly and lightly and then baking it immediately in a preheated oven. Speed is of the essence to keep the dough from becoming tough; it is also important when using homemade single-acting baking powder for leavener, as this scone recipe does, because you want the powder to do its work in the oven, not before baking. The whole process shouldn't take more than 20 minutes, from mixing the ingredients together to pulling the finished scones out of the oven.

Before You Begin

Work the dough quickly, don't overmix, and put the dough rounds into the heated oven as soon as possible. The process--from mixing to pulling the finished scones out of the oven--shouldn't take more than twenty minutes. Scones are best served warm and fresh. This recipe can be doubled.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Add onion and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
  3. Sift first 4 ingredients into large bowl, or measure into workbowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade; pulse until blended. With pastry blender, 2 knives, or steel blade of a food processor, cut or process butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Transfer to a medium bowl and add onions, stir to combine.
  4. Make a well in the center of mixture and pour in milk. Working quickly, blend ingredients together with a rubber spatula into a soft, slightly wet dough. Turn dough onto a well-floured work surface.
  5. Quickly roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Use a lightly greased and floured 3-inch biscuit cutter to stamp dough with one decisive punch, cutting close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour as often as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Push scraps of dough together so that edges join; firmly pinch edges with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat this remaining dough to 1/2 inch thick; continue to cut 3-inch rounds. Place dough rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake until scones are lightly brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

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