Raspberry Almond Scones
Perfect with a hot cup of tea or breakfast, these scones are a perfect use of fresh raspberries from the garden.
There are two types of scones, English scones, and American. While English scones tend to be circular, you're more likely to see a triangular one in the U.S. Shape is hardly the only difference between the two.
When eating an American scone, you'll find it to be more cake-like and often have numerous flavorings mixed in. On the other hand, British or English scones are more akin to what Americans call a biscuit. English scones rely more on jam and other toppings to add flavor.
Where French biscuits are dry cakes made with flavored cream, English biscuits would translate to cookies in the U.S. But its name gets even more complicated; biscuits come from the French word twice baked. Hence a biscotti's quick rise and baked until dry.
So which one is this recipe, you ask? It's a mix between English and American scones. We recommend serving these scones with jam as well for extra flavor. With fresh raspberries and almonds mixed in and a more biscuit-like crumb, you'll love this recipe!
We do have a couple of tips when making this recipe as well. When making the dough, it's important to keep the butter as cold as possible- working fast and having your ingredients pre-measured is key. The method of cutting is also very important. You want to ensure you press quickly and firmly down with a sharp cookie cutter. It's better to have a clean cut than to crimp the sides and prevent a good rise.
You probably noticed the golden color on the scones; This comes from the egg wash. So what exactly gives the shine and color? The egg yolk is responsible for color, while the white is responsible for the shine. It's also important to ensure the egg doesn't drip down the sides as it could prevent a rise.
Now for the science behind scones, scones fall into a category called quick-breads- cooked fast and risen with fast-acting chemicals- in this case, baking powder. This quick rise helps inhibit gluten development, preventing it from becoming bread-like. Kneading also affects this recipe. More kneading leads to flaky layers, while minimal kneading will lead to more cake-like scones.
We can't wait for you to try this delicious scone recipe, full of fresh raspberries and a texture between an American and English scone. You'll fall in love!
Cheers
Chef Olson
