Scones have long been a firm favourite British dessert, serving as the crowning addition to any afternoon tea. They can be made sweet or savoury, with fillings or without, making them a diverse treat that cater to a whole variety of food palates. As an added bonus, they’re pretty easy to make and only require a few ingredients, so even the most amateur of bakers should be able to whip up a batch at home. But like all things with baking, it’s easy to run into problems and find yourself with a dry, dense and unappetising scone.
But baking experts say it’s easy to avoid this issue if you do one simple step before putting your scones in the oven – and that’s freezing them.
Freezing the dough before it’s baked helps to keep the butter in the mixture solid and firm, then once it hits the oven and starts to melt it releases steam and creates air pockets, which ultimately leads to a lighter and softer texture.
Baked by an Introvent says: “Freeze the dough – For a super soft texture, it’s important to keep the dough cold. Use cold ingredients and handle the dough as little as possible with your hands.
“After shaping the scones, place them on a baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. The steam from the melting butter creates air pockets which will make the inside tender and light.”
Freezing the scone dough ahead of it going in the oven also allows the gluten in the flour to relax which then contributes to a greater rise during baking.
King Arthur Baking adds: “Freeze for more moisture and a better rise: Freeze your scones for about 30 minutes before baking to help them rise taller while maintaining moisture and flavour.”
Experts recommend keeping your scones in the freezer for around 30 minutes before baking to ensure the butter stays cold and to relax the gluten, and this will improve the overall texture of your scones once they’re baked.
But if you want to save some scones for another day the dough will keep for around three to four weeks, provided they are stored in freezer bags or containers with baking paper to prevent them sticking.
It’s useful to label these bags with a date so you know how long the scones have been in the freezer and then you have some freshly made dough ready to bake for a later date.
Serious Eats says: “When you’re ready for fresh scones, just preheat the oven and bake as directed. Since scones stale rather quickly once they’re baked, this trick is especially useful in the short term, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked scones at their prime all weekend long.”
