What’s In an Ingredient

• Low-protein flour such as all-purpose flour plays an integral role in creating a flaky scone. Both shortening and lard are traditional fats used in scones, but butter adds richness. Keeping fat cold creates flakiness while preventing the gluten in the flour from forming. Cream provides richness and creates a dense texture to your scones, while buttermilk creates a lighter and fluffier texture. Also, the lactic acid in buttermilk encourages carbon dioxide gas, resulting in increased volume. Baking powder acts as a leavening agent and provides volume. However, if using self-rising flour, do not use leavening agents -- it already contains them.

A Little Sugar

• A little sugar goes a long way in creating a tender scone with a flaky, dry exterior. During baking, sugar contributes to the leavening process and reduces gluten development, which creates a fluffier interior. Too much sugar and the scones become soft, losing the desired density. Sprinkling granulated sugar on your scones prior to baking will caramelize and brown their tops, creating that signature dry and crispy exterior often found on trendy coffee house scones.

Recipe for Success

• Flaky scones need simple ingredients: butter, shortening or lard, cream or buttermilk, baking powder, sugar, salt and flour. Sift dry ingredients for even distribution. Cut the fat into the dry ingredients with two knives, a pastry cutter or by rubbing between your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse crumbs. Fine crumbs produce soft scones, and large crumbs produce flakier scones. Mix liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with a fork. Lightly knead the dough and flatten by hand or by rolling it about ¾-inch thick, and cut into desired shapes before baking.

Baked to Perfection

• If the oven is too hot, the scones bake soft and lack the desired flaky texture. If the oven temperature is too low, the scones become dense and lack volume. Bake the scones in a preheated 425-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. If desired, brush egg wash over each scone before baking to achieve a deep color and dryer exterior. Ovens vary in temperatures, so experiment to find the ideal temperature. Allowing the scones to cool for at least 10 minutes firms the exterior and improves the texture.