Cold butter goes into my scone dough, but I don’t work it into the flour with my fingers. The warmth from my hands can soften it before the dough reaches the oven.
Instead, I cut the butter into small cubes and use two forks or a pastry cutter. I stop once the pieces look like small pebbles, leaving the butter cold while I finish the lemon strawberry scone dough.
Cold Butter Gets Cut Into Small Cubes
Start by whisking flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Cut cold butter into cubes before adding it to the flour mixture. Smaller pieces are easier to distribute without spending extra time working the butter.
I don’t wait for the butter to soften first.
I Use Two Forks Instead of My Fingers
Use two forks or a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients.
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Keep working until the butter resembles small pebbles, then stop. There’s no need to make the mixture smooth.
Using a tool also means my fingers aren’t warming the butter as I work.
The Wet Ingredients Get Their Own Bowl
Whisk eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a separate bowl.
Fold that mixture into the flour and butter just until the dough comes together.
I don’t keep mixing to make the dough uniform. The recipe calls for avoiding overworking it, another step that helps preserve the texture of the scones.
Strawberries Go in After the Dough Comes Together
Chopped fresh strawberries get folded into the dough after the wet and dry ingredients meet.
Work them in with as little mixing as possible.
The goal isn’t to knead the fruit through the dough. A few folds are enough to distribute the pieces without spending more time handling the mixture.
I Press the Dough Instead of Rolling It
Transfer the dough to a baking mat and press it into a circle with a light touch.
Use a floured knife to cut the circle into wedges.
Before baking, brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle them with sugar.
The Scones Bake for About 20 Minutes
Bake until the scones turn golden, which takes about 20 minutes in the original recipe.
Once cooled, they can be finished with a powdered sugar glaze or served with jam, lemon curd, or clotted cream.
The butter may be one of the first ingredients to enter the bowl, but I handle it as little as possible. Cold cubes, two forks, and a short mixing time keep my warm hands away from it before the scones reach the oven.
Do you use your hands to work butter into scone dough, or reach for a pastry cutter or forks?
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