Let’s Bake!
Who doesn’t love scones? I wonder sometimes if scones have taken over the country. I see these biscuit like pastries, in rounds or wedges, in bakeshops and farmers markets all over the United States.
What is the Difference Between British and American Scones?
There are two basic types of scones, British and American. British scone dough—made with not too much butter and sugar—is most often kneaded briefly, rolled out, and stamped into rounds with a biscuit cutter. American scone dough—made with more butter and sugar than British scones—is most often patted into a circle and cut into wedges. Brits love to spread their round, split scones with clotted (thick) cream and jam, which is why their scones are leaner and less sweet than American scones.
As a lifelong lover of dates—one of the sweetest of dried fruits—I wanted to see if they could supply enough sweetness so that I could cut back on the sugar in my scones. The short answer is “Yesssssss!” Instead of the 1/3 cup sugar I’ve been adding to the dough, I now use 1 1/2 tablespoon plus a splash of vanilla. I sprinkle another 1/2 tablespoon sugar on the scones’ tops for some crunch.
For tenderness, I use a combo of butter, egg yolks and cream. I’ve tried all cream for the liquid, but the butter and egg yolks add a taste and texture all their own. For flakiness, the butter should be, well, in flakes, and the best way to do that is to use your fingers to press the pieces of butter so that they flatten into flakes. No need to use a machine.
And which dates to use? I like Medjool, those large succulent dates you can find in just about any market and that pit easily using your fingers. They tend to be a bit sticky, so you can dip your fingers into flour if necessary. Deglet Noor, smaller than Medjool dates, and also common in health food stores, is another good choice. Please do not use packaged pitted dates. There’s no knowing how old they are. And above all, Happy baking!
CAPTION: Freshly baked Date Cream Scones, flaky and tender and sweet but made with much less sugar than standard scone recipes.