# scones: shape, weight & size



## karendf (Jul 2, 2008)

Hello everyone!

I've been baking some scones and trying to get them to keep some kind of uniform shape, as well as get them to be the same size and the same weight for production purposes.

Scones strike me as an artesanal bread, either that or it's a good excuse for them not coming out uniform.

The dough being sticky, I'm not sure how to reach that uniformity.

I'm making them this way: I form a disc, get it about 3-4 cm high and then press down a nifty scone cutter I have which cuts out 8 triangular scones. 

I then separate, put some egg on it and in the oven.

What I know is also not helping is my home oven which takes longer than a professional one, and the scones tend to lose their shape.

suggestions?

sweet dreams, Karen


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## jfield (Sep 4, 2008)

Not sure if you're wanting to scale them for commercial production, but part of the charm of a scone is that it's a little slumpy and irregular--otherwise, it'd kind of look like shortbread. If I were you, I'd continue to view them as artesanal breads

If you like them wedge-shaped, use your keen cutter, egg wash but only separate them by about 1/4 inch and leave them in their little Trivial Pursuit circle. Then, when they bake up and try and slump all over, they will stop when they hit each other. Then you can cut them apart once they're baked.

If you're not concerned that they be wedge-shaped, you could make the sticky dough and use a 2-3-4 oz. disher to portion them into roundish-blobs that you could then gently pat down a bit with a floured hand.

Good luck with your experimentation!


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## pastry maven (Feb 6, 2006)

Hi Karen,
Your question is interesting, but we'd need to see the recipe you're using, so that we can help trouble-shoot what's going on.

I've started making scones as well, strictly for home use (been experimenting with different flavor combinations). The recipe that I use is for Cream Scones from the Joy of Baking Website and results in a dough that is quite smooth but still tender after kneading a bit to incorporate the flour. I also form a flat disk (about 1 inch thick) and cut into 8 wedges. After they bake, they end up being around 2-2.5 inches high and quite delicious, if I do say so myself.

I have to agree that as long as each scone is approximately the same weight, the ultimate shape/size after baking doesn't have to be exact from one scone to the next. If you have a small kitchen scale, you could try weighing the scones after you've cut them, to see how consistent the weight is (seems to me it would be pretty close, since you're using the cutter you described).

Hope this helps a little...and looking forward to seeing more information...

Best,

Micki


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## qahtan (Dec 7, 2003)

scones always quick and easy to make what ever size, sweet or savoury.



Scones

2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup soft butter
2/3 cup milk plus or minus
1 egg

sift flour and baking powder together. Blend in soft butter.
Beat egg and add to milk and stir into flour with a knife, do not stir to much.
Turn dough onto counter and knead 10 times, just enough to tidy the ball of dough.

Roll lightly to about ¾ - 1 inch, cut with cookie cutters place on dry cookie sheet 
And bake at 425 till nice and golden on top 12/15 minutes.
It is better to at least double the recipe, and add 1/3 sugar to dough if you want sweet scones


qahtan


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## karendf (Jul 2, 2008)

Hello all!

I'll post the recipe, and a few more questions as well.

1)what is a "disher" Jenni? The idea of separating them very little may work, but I am not putting any finishing frosting or the like on them so I won't be able to cover up any errors, like if they break off or something but I will try it.

I don't understand why some of you are saying the word "knead." To me you knead bread...not scones. I'm bringing them together with a rubber spatula my hands gently, with just enough liquid, sticky stuff!

classic cream scones:

280 g white flour
66 g white sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
2 g salt
1/2 cup approx: raisins, bluberries, chocolate chips, cranberries, apricots, etc (dried fruits)
90 g butter (cut and frozen)
165 g (3/4 cup heavy cream)
2 yolks
(1 egg and 1 yolk+ pinch salt and sugar for egg wash)
10 ml vainilla

preheat oven to 180 C.

I have been doing this in the food processor on a pulse setting...the first part, mix together dry ingredients (except fruit)-flour, sugar, baking powder, salt), add the butter which is in small chunks and has been in the freezer a bit. Pulse in the processor until the butter pieces are about pea/lentil size.

In a bowl, put the dry ingredients. Add the fruit or chocolate. Add the wet ingredients together (cream, yolks, vainilla), add little by little to mixture, gently with the rubber spatula as if you were folding it together. Use hands gently to incorporate rest of the dry crumbs, add a bit (very little) more cream if necessary.

Put onto a work surface, shape into a disc about 3-4 cm high. Cut out scones, and brush them with egg wash.

This is what I've been doing, the flavor I think is quite good. Myself I prefer using cranberries, and I think the consistency is a bit better not having grease from chocolate, and they probably absorb some of the grease from the butter.

scone fotos: 
Picasa Web Albums - Karen - pastelería/de...#

thank u for your kind help


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## laurieh (Aug 3, 2008)

If you want them to keep their shape, try freezing the scones before baking. They will be easier to separate, too. You might have to experiment with the baking time & temperature a little.


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## jfield (Sep 4, 2008)

The pictures of the scones are beautiful--I don't see a problem with them. They are supposed to be a bit rough and rustic; I think that's part of their charm, personally.

A disher is like an ice cream scoop that is made to portion by volume. Small ones are as small as 1/2 oz, and I think they can go all the way up to 12 oz or more (think cafeteria lady and mac and cheese). Portioning with a disher is a good way to get your cookies to all be the same size.

Here's a link to one place where you can get some, if you want to: 
Dishers at ReStockIt.com.

I'm not sure what others have in mind, but when I think of kneading scones, I generally think of gentle folding to create some layers--one of the hallmarks of a scone is the horizontal crumb structure. I fold over one side with a bench knife, gently pat it down, fold and pat again for a total of about 4-5 times.

LaurieH's idea of freezing them first makes sense, especially if you're looking for a neater scone. Honestly, your method seems sound to me, and your end result is lovely. I really don't see the problem--I'd eat them:smiles:


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## karendf (Jul 2, 2008)

Hi there again. Just wanted to let you know that I think the freezing tip is working, they have a neater look to them, although the cranberry ones are better looking.

As for weight, I think perhaps my cutter is NOT symmetrical, but for the time being I'm weighing, but that's time consuming.

Thanks for the tips.

sweet scones, I mean sweet dreams. Karen


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## artameates (Mar 10, 2004)

for high volume purposes, scooping batter has worked well for me. 4 oz weight seems to be a satisfying size.


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## cheftess (Sep 28, 2008)

In my bakery kitchen here is what I do...
I double or triple the recipe...for how ever many I need to make. Then I weigh out 24 oz sections in my bakers scale.

I hand mold each section into a rectangular block about 3 inches by 8 inches long. I use my "five wheeled sub divider" and cut them exactly the same...then I cut them diagnally. Works great. Still rustic and beautiful as well.


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## chefraz (May 10, 2007)

like LaurieH we freeze ours, using a sheet pan to get the thickness the same, than cut into triangles thaw and bake.


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## qahtan (Dec 7, 2003)

I have a little query here. I have made scones for the past 50 years plus, and have never had problem with them, ofcourse I like to cut mine into rounds but I could just as easy cut them into triangles.
And I have never frozen the dough, or had it sticky enough to size out with what you call a disher?????.
I just gather the dough whether it be sweet or savoury into a loose ball flatten it out a little by hand then a quick gentle roll with the rolling pin to get an even all over thickness and I then cut them out with what ever size cutter I want.
Maybe we are talking different things here, but that is my scones as seen at the top of this thread...... qahtan


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

I more or less make mine the same, using a scone cutter of different sizes depending on the type of scone I'm making. Sometimes I barely have to roll it out, just flatten it a little with my hands (if I'm making a small batch).

I just follow how my Mum and Granny made them!


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## schllac (Nov 12, 2006)

Looking at the picture of your scones they remind me of a biscuit that we called Tea Biscuits in the Norristown, Pa. area. I make them but they dont seem to rise as nice as the ones shown in your picture. The ones I make are sweet and I also add lemon flavor or the lemon oil, in fact here is the recipe, maybe you can give me some help;
*Yield 2 Dozen*

*Step 1. *
*5 5/8 Cups of Flour*
*2 ½ Tablespoons of Baking Powder*

*Blend very well..*

*Step 2.*
*½ Cup Crisco Shortening (cut in till pea sized)*

*Step 3.*
*½ Cup of Egg Yolks*
*¾ Teaspoon Salt*
*5/8 Cup of Sugar*
*¼ Cup of Regular Milk*
*7/8 Cup of Ice Water*
*2 Teaspoons of Lemon Flavor*
*1 ½ Cups of Raisins or Craisins (Pre soaked in water)*

*Blend very well to dissolve the sugar*

*Step 4.*
*Fold in Liquid Mixture with Flour Mixture and Knead Gently*

*Step 5.*
*Roll out Dough about 5/8" thick and cut with Biscuit Cutter and place on Tray lined with Parchment Paper and Brush with Egg Whites.*

*Bake at 375 Degrees for 20 minutes*


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## karendf (Jul 2, 2008)

I suspect, although I'm not sure, that maybe we're talking about different things here. The scones in the picture do seem very tall to me as well, mine certainly don't get that high, but mine have sugar and heavy cream, and I don't have a professional oven.

Perhaps we have different ideas about what a scone is?

The ones in the picture look like biscuits to me, but I'm not an expert. 

scone experts anyone?


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## schllac (Nov 12, 2006)

I checked the ingredients of both and they are almost identical except the quantities.But then my recipe is for 2 dozen

I had seen these in Florida at the cultural center dining facility and asked what they were and they said they were scones. Most of the pictures I have seen, they are triangular, but I have also seen them like a biscuit. If you google pictures of scones you will see some biscuit looking ones


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## grouville (Oct 18, 2008)

Been making them like this for over 50 years, and you are the first one to complain.....;-((( 
If I made the dough a little flatter and cut them to the traditional triangle 
you wouldn't have known the difference.
In UK we didn't have biscuits only the cookies that we call biscuits.
We have sweet and savoury "scones".
What else can I say, try 'em, you'll like 'em. grouville


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## karendf (Jul 2, 2008)

fair enough. enough said. good day.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Scones are originally Scottish (scone rhymes with Gone, by the way - not stone!)

I make mine like quahtan. I know that many Americans make similar things, that they call 'biscuits'. 

Scones rise.

We have lots of varieties, including bran, sultana, cheese and plain. They take minutes to prepare and a short time to bake.

Traditionally, similar scones are made in England, especially in Cornwall and Devon, where they are part of a Cornish Cream tea - freshly baked and split, then served with clotted cream and jam.

Traditionally, scones are round, unless they are 'bran' scones, when they are triangular. But, hey, what would a Scot know?!:lol:


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## jrkp (Dec 28, 2008)

chefraz said:


> like LaurieH we freeze ours, using a sheet pan to get the thickness the same, than cut into triangles thaw and bake.


brilliant


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