Growing up in the South, I was served biscuits at breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Each family and restaurant has their own specific way of making them. Some are skinny and tall, others flat and wide, and some come nestled together like Parker House rolls in cast-iron pans. Served with butter or jam, smothered with gravy or topped with ham and cheese or a piece of fried chicken, biscuits are as Southern as bourbon, collards and mac and cheese.
Our Best Scone Recipes for Weekend Baking
Even though my mom has lived in the South for nearly 20 years, she's never gotten quite accustomed to biscuits. She is in the scone camp. She likes the crunchy, slightly sweet baked good, especially alongside a good cup of coffee. And since she is the baker in the house, I became accustomed to and developed a love for scones too. They are still my go-to coffee-shop splurge, especially at 4 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon.
So, what's the difference between a scone and a biscuit? The answer generally boils down to one ingredient: eggs. Scones have them, biscuits don't.
Other than that, the ingredients and process are pretty much the same. Both scones and biscuits are usually made with some combination of flour, baking powder or baking soda (or a combination of both), salt, sugar, milk or buttermilk, eggs (if you're making scones) and a fat (butter, Crisco, lard). The dry ingredients are mixed together, the fat is "cut in" with a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers, and the liquid is added until the dough just comes together. The dough is gently kneaded very briefly then cut into circles or triangles and baked.
I followed the same general recipe when developing these healthy scones in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, replacing some of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat and using just enough butter to give them great flavor. Then I mixed in sweet or savory ingredients to make each variation special. The result? The easiest, healthiest and most delicious scones you've ever had. Enjoy!
2. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, sugar (1 tablespoon for savory, ¼ cup for sweet) and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or rub butter into the dry ingredients. Stir in ADD-INS.
3. Whisk milk (or buttermilk) and egg in a medium bowl; stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour. Turn the dough out and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Knead three to five times, or until the dough just comes together. Divide in half and pat each piece into a 5-inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the scones until firm to the touch, 18 to 24 minutes.
Makes: 1 dozen (1 scone each)
Glaze 'Em!
A drizzle of this super-quick glaze makes sweet scones more special. Whisk 3/4 cup lightly packed confectioners' sugar and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (or milk) in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency with a little more sugar or liquid, as desired. Makes about 1/3 cup.
Biscuits are often slightly healthier than scones because they use less butter and sugar than scones. Both biscuits and scones contain flour, fat, dairy, and baking powder. Both of these treats fit into a healthy diet in moderation.
"Scones are typically made using a quick bread method with a higher ratio of liquid to flour, and sometimes no butter at all," says Snyder. In contrast, biscuits have a high ratio of butter, and the lamination process needed to achieve flaky layers is a key differentiator to scones.
A scone (/ˈskɒn/ SKON or /ˈskoʊn/ SKOHN) is a traditional British baked good, popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is usually made of either wheat flour or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash.
fattening. A Food Standards Agency (FSA) report has found that the average scone contains 408 calories, with the best – sorry, most fattening – clocking up a remarkable 756 calories and 39.2g of sugar. Add jam and cream to the largest scone tested, and you are talking more than 900 calories.
The Kikibix Cranberry & Walnut Oats Biscuits is one of the best nutrient-rich snacks. It claims to contain no artificial flavours, colours, chemicals, refined sugar and white flour. It is formulated with oats flour, dry fruits, organic jaggery and jowar whole grains.
The colder the better when it comes to scones, we recommend a chilled bowl and pastry cutter too. Use pastry flour: This will create a noticeably lighter scone. However, self-raising flour works just as well and creates a higher rising scone that holds its shape nicely.
So there you have it: Southern biscuits have more butter and acidity (from the buttermilk), making them extra fluffy and flaky. While scones rely on richer, denser, ingredients like heavy cream and eggs to get a sturdy, yet crumbly, pastry.
We recommend using all-purpose flour. There is some debate as to what flour one should use to go around achieving the perfect scone. This is because within different flours comes different levels of protein.
There are quite a few videos online where British (or Commonwealth) people try American Biscuits and Gravy. They always say that American's just call scones "biscuits", and they usually confirm that understanding after they try the recipe.
Just as in old times, today's scone recipes don't include eggs, but there are some rare recipes that do. Eggs may change the texture of the scone, which should be golden on the outside and airy inside.
In Britain, what Americans refer to as “biscuits” are known as “scones.” British biscuits are actually what Americans call “cookies.” The term “biscuits” in the United Kingdom typically refers to sweet, crumbly, and sometimes buttery bakes treats, distinct from the soft, bread-like biscuits found in the United States.
Scones are made with a generous amount of butter, which gives them a rich, buttery taste that is truly irresistible. Whether you enjoy your scones plain or loaded up with jam and Devonshire cream, the rich, buttery flavor of these pastries is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Southerners made their scones with easily available buttermilk, lard, and low-protein soft wheat. This yielded a lighter, fluffier bread that became known as a biscuit.
Although scones are perhaps classically not a healthy snack when lathered with jam and clotted cream, certain savoury based scones made in a particular way, can be a great healthy filler. Made in batches they can also be frozen easily and taken out one at a time when a snack is required.
When you're eating food — or your out for a meal— opt for the food that are higher in nutrients. The best foods are typically high in nutrients and low in calories. Scone are low in nutrients and high in calories. Keep away from the scones, cupcakes and skinny tea diets.
Scones can be savory or sweet and are usually eaten for breakfast or tea.” My recipe for scones has evolved through the years that I have made them, and I always have made a sweet version.
When comparing sugar per 100g, values were highest for fruit scones at 18g sugar/100g (range 10.6-26.6g sugar/100g), followed by luxury scones at 14.5g sugar/100g and plain at 11.7g sugar/100g (Figure 6b). (g) Scone type and sample no.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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