Strawberry Scones (with strawberry glaze)
This is a fabulous, tender strawberry scone recipe that bakes to a golden brown and has the most eye-catching pink drizzle of strawberry glaze. You can make them ahead, cut them and freeze them until ready to be baked. If you're apprehensive about making scones, I give you all my tips and tricks.
Servings 8 large scones
Ingredients
For the scones:
- 2 ¾ cups cake or all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons white or light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest or ½ teaspoon lime or lemon zest if you want a sharper flavor
- 6 ounces unsalted butter cut into cubes, very cold
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, diced about 8 ounces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk very cold
- additional sugar for sprinkling
For the glaze:
- 3 or 4 medium strawberries washed and dried
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the bottom.
- Food processor: place 2 ¾ cups cake or all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons white or light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon orange zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix.
- Scatter 6 ounces unsalted butter, diced and cold, on top, and process on low until the mixture is grainy and the butter the size of peas. Don't overprocess.
- By hand: add the dry ingredients (2 ¾ cups cake or all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons white or light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon orange zest) to a large bowl and combine them well with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Scatter the butter pieces on top and integrate by hand or with a pastry cutter. The pieces of butter should be the size of peas and beans. It will be irregular.
- For both methods, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, diced and stir lightly with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Drizzle ¾ cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract over the flour mixture.
- Mix with a spatula or fork until it barely comes together, but don't mix too much or the scones will be tough and flat.
- On a lightly floured surface, transfer the mixture, and pat it together, folding it unto itself a few times (I use a dough scraper to help me fold the dough onto itself), until you have a circle of dough that holds together. It will still be shaggy in places. Don't be tempted to overwork it as you would a pie crust. I don't use a rolling pin, but if you want to roll it very lightly, you don't want to press it down and compact it too much, simply pat it so it holds together.
- Make a circle with the dough, about 2 inches high.
- Cut the circle in half using the dough scraper or a large kitchen knife. Then cut each half in half again and each part in half again until you have 4 triangles. You should have 8 pieces or triangles in total. At this point, they can be frozen, well covered, for up to a month, and baked directly from the freezer. They might take a few more minutes.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle the tops with additional sugar.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turn down the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C, and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until golden, dry, and quite firm. If you need to check, with the tip of a fork lift the top of a scone and see if the inside is dry. Depending on the size and height, the bake time might vary, so start checking at the 30-minute mark.
- I recommend eating them within a few hours of being baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container for a day, maybe two, but the texture is much better the day they're baked.
For the glaze:
- Hull and cut 3 or 4 medium strawberries in half. Process them with 2 tablespoons orange juice. I use an immersion blender with the small chopper attachment. You can strain it before or use it as is and have a more rustic glaze.
- Mix 1 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl with half of the strawberry mixture. Keep adding strawberry puree until the glaze is thick but pourable.
- Drizzle on the cold scones and let dry before serving.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Very cold ingredients: I’m not kidding when I say very cold butter. I cut it and put the pieces in the freezer for 5 minutes before using it. And don’t take the liquid ingredients half an hour before you start mixing the scones. They belong in the fridge until you need them.
Don't work the dough much. It should come together but might still have floury patches. You don’t need to work it until it’s smooth, like pie dough. It is uneven, with dry spots sometimes, and that’s good for flakiness later.
A rather high oven: They need that extra heat (and baking powder) to rise. And if by any chance you forgot to turn the oven on before you start mixing, please don’t leave the baking sheet with the cut scones waiting on the counter. Put them in the fridge or freezer for the ten or fifteen minutes it takes for the oven to reach its temperature.
Different sizes: For a brunch table, tea time, or that type of gathering, you might want to make smaller scones, and round ones at that, as they are usually easier to handle and bake more evenly. Use a round cookie cutter.
Freezing scones: They can be frozen raw, already formed. Make a big batch, cut them, place them on trays, and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic bag or container so the tray doesn’t occupy freezer space. Bake them directly from the freezer. They might take a few more minutes.
Homemade buttermilk: add a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of regular milk. Stir and let it stand a few minutes. It will curdle a bit, and you're set to go. Make sure you keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
Glaze: Use 2 tablespoons of orange juice, cream, or milk without the strawberries. The glaze will be white, not pink.
