Buckingham Palace Royal English Scones

Step 1

If using, soak the raisins in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain before adding to the recipe.PRO TIP: Why soak the raisins? Two reasons. One, it softens them, which tastes better in the finished recipe than a hard, tough little raisin. Secondly, it helps keep the scone dough moist. Raisins naturally want to rehydrate. By letting them soften I water, the hard raisins pull moisture from water, not the scone dough.

Step 2

Mix the flour, baking powder, butter and sugar together in a bowl until crumbly. Work the butter into the dough a bit, as you would pie dough.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk two eggs and the buttermilk together. Add the liquid to the crumb mixture. Add the raisins, if using, and mix until evenly distributed. Continue to gently knead the dough by hand until smooth.

Step 4

Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean countertop lightly dusted with flour. Lightly dust the top of the scones with flour. Flatten the dough to a 1” thickness and cover. Leave to rest for 30 to 45 minutes in the refrigerator. Resting the dough allows the gluten to relax. This helps achieve a tender, flaky scone. PRO TIP: You could simply use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough. But I suggest a rolling pin for a more even result. Roll from the center out, and rotate the dough as you go to prevent sticking.

Step 5

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut to the desired shape using a round biscuit cutter. (Note: I used 2" and 2 1/4" cutters. The original recipe did not specify, but this is standard. If you use a 2" cutter, I suggest making the height a little shorter.)

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Cover and rest the scones for another 20 minutes in the fridge. Whisk the third egg and gently egg wash the top of the scones with a pastry brush.PRO TIP: If you do not have a pastry brush, just use your fingers.

Step 7

Bake on baking sheets for around 12 to 15 minutes, give or take depending on your cutter size, or until light golden brown. Leave at least 1 1/2" of space between each scone. Cool before serving with jam and clotted cream.PRO TIP: These will bake best if you bake them one sheet at a time, or at least rotate the baking sheets top to bottom, front to back halfway. If you have a convection setting on your oven, adjust the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.