Scones are one of the most quintessentially British desserts and the perfect choice for an indulgent, yet fancy, sweet treat. They’re the star feature of any afternoon tea but since they’re so easy to make, you don’t have to head out to a cafe to enjoy one as you can whip up your own batch at home.
Scones only require a few ingredients so even those who aren’t very well versed in baking should be able to handle making them without any major problems. The key to making good scones is not overworking the dough as this can make them very dense when baked. You can avoid this error by adding the liquid ingredients in your recipe slowly, bit by bit, so the dough doesn’t become too wet. And to get that wonderfully light and fluffy texture, you should try adding soda water to your mixture.
According to food experts, adding soda water aerates the dough and helps scones to rise, which ultimately makes them lighter and fluffier when baked.
The aeration comes from the carbon dioxide in the water, which forms bubbles. These bubbles become trapped as the dough is mixed, adding air to it which then expands in the oven, helping scones to rise and make them taste deliciously light.
Food recipe website Taste.com.au explains: “The secret ingredient to light and fluffy scones? Soda water! This quick, easy and cheaty version of traditional scones will become a new family favourite.
“They may look a bit wonky when you get them out of the oven – but trust us, these are the lightest, fluffiest scones ever!”
Taste.com.au says you’ll need 180ml of soda water, 180ml of pouring cream, 450g of self-raising flour, 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and a pinch of salt to create beautifully light and fluffy scones.
Simply combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre and pour in your cream and soda water. Once combined, place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead for 30 seconds until smooth, then cut out your scones – there should be enough mixture for about 12 scones. Then place your scones on a greased baking tray so they are just touching and lightly brush the tops with some extra cream.
Then bake in the oven at 200C for around 15 minutes until the scones have a nice rise and are golden brown, and hollow-sounding when tapped on top. Once cooled, serve with a generous helping of jam and cream.