Quintessentially English, these fluffy, soft Sultana Scones are truly at their best when served still warm from the oven and covered with a generous spread of sweet strawberry jam and a good old dollop of soft clotted cream.
Do you often find yourself in a tearoom gazing at the wonderful array of cakes on offer, but 9 times out of out 10 plump for the cream tea? Though I bake, I fall into this category. I never can resist a warm, soft scone, with lashings of jam and cream, washed down with a proper cup of tea. Absolute heaven.
But some recipes I've tried delivered disappointing results and I wanted to create a recipe that produced what I believe to be the perfect scone.
For me, that is a scone that is fluffy and light, but is not too cakey and holds it structure, and of course rises up nice and high.
After some research and much experimentation, I am confident this recipe for Sultana Scones delivers the best scones ever! Using a combination of bread flour and plain (all-purpose) flour turned out to be the key to achieving the perfect texture.
I hope you enjoy them too, and please do try to click on the stars 🌟 in the recipe card to let me know how you got on. Oh, and don't forget the tea! ☕
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Why is this a great recipe for sultana scones?
Light and fluffy scones ✔️
Bread and plain (all-purpose) flour mix for a fluffy scone ✔️
Really quick and easy ✔️
Touch of vanilla extract for flavour ✔️
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Strong white bread flour
- Plain (all purpose) flour
- Baking powder
- Fine salt
- Unsalted butter
- Caster (superfine) sugar
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
Instructions
See end of post RECIPE CARD for precise quantities and instructions.
Sift both flours, baking powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
Dot over softened butter and rub in with fingers until sand-like. This video shows you the technique.
Mix in caster (superfine sugar) then stir in sultanas.
Beat one egg and vanilla extract into room temperature whole milk.
Make a well in the centre of the scone mixture and pour in the egg and milk mixture.
Mix in with a fork, until a soft and slightly sticky dough is formed and no crumbs remain.
Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball. Knead 5-6 times. Flatten to a depth of an inch.
Cut out 4 scones using a 7cm cutter. Then bring the dough back together and cut out 4 more.
Coat with beaten egg or more milk and then place on a large, lined baking tray.
Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden and then remove to a cooling rack. Serve while still warm with strawberry jam and clotted cream.
Did you try this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the Recipe Card below.
Substitutions
Don't have all of the ingredients for these Sultana Scones? You cam replace with these substitutions:
- Golden caster (superfine) sugar can be used instead of white as both work just as well.
- Flours - you can use either all bread flour or all plain (all-purpose) flour, in the same proportions. Or you can use self-raising flour, if so only add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Sultanas are usually used in scones because they are big and juicy, however, raisins are a fine substitute.
- Whole milk can be substituted with three-quarters semi-skimmed milk and the last quarter single cream or plain, natural yoghurt.
- Milk can be used instead of egg wash to coat your sultana scones, but you will need an egg for the scones themselves.
Variations
For Plain Scones, simply omit the sultanas.
IF you are vegan you may like to check out this vegan fruit scones recipe.
Storage
Scones are best eaten as soon as they have cooled a little from the oven, they are at their freshest and softest as this point.
They will keep in an airtight container for 1-2 days and are best warmed a little before being served.
You can freeze these Sultana Scones for up to 2 months.
Top tips
Tips for perfect sultana scones
- Sift your flours, baking powder and salt together in order to add air and give your scones a lightness.
- After rubbing the butter into your flour mixture, give the bowl a shake backwards and forwards to bring any remaining larger lumps of butter to the surface, which you can then rub in.
- Pull your sultanas apart before mixing them into your flour mixture, they have a tendency to clump together, and also ensure any stalks are removed.
- Use a fork to mix in the wet ingredients it is far easier than mixing with a spoon!
- Sultana Scone dough should be quite wet and a sticky to touch, however if yours feels too wet simply add more flour.
- Dip your pastry cutter in flour in between cutting out each Sultana Scone, to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
- Push the pastry cutter into the dough in one clean movement and then pull it straight out, this will give your sultana scones smooth sides.
- Push sultanas back into the dough once you've cut your scones out, protruding sultanas will burn!
- When you eggwash your sultana scones be sure to paint it around the sides as well as the top to give a bronzed all-over glow.
- Be careful not to overbake your scones (I speak from experience!), scones are baked in a hot oven and even a minute too long can render them overdone.
Linked Recipes
Liked this scone recipe? Then you might like to try these...
Paris Buns are what happens when a rock cake meets a fruit scone, these are a delightful mix of the two and are topped with nibbed sugar.
Soft and fluffy Cinnamon and Maple Syrup Buns are made with cardamon-infused milk and have a brown sugar and cinnamon filling and a cinnamon and maple syrup icing.
FAQ
Baking scones at a high temperature ensures that they rise quickly, the crust browns all over and the interior is light and fluffy.
Whilst it might be healthier to omit salt, unfortunately it will affect the flavour of your baking. Salt enhances the flavours in cakes, scones and cookies and helps the flavours blossom.
📖 Recipe
Sultana Scones
Here's what you'll need...
- Pastry cutter size 7cm - preferably straight sided
- Fork
Ingredients you'll need...
- 150 g Strong white bread flour (1 Cup)
- 150 g Plain (all-purpose) flour (1 Cup)
- 4 teaspoon Baking powder must be level
- ¼ tsp Fine salt
- 60 g Unsalted butter softened and cut into small cubes
- 30 g Caster (superfine) sugar (2 tablespoons)
- 80 g Sultanas aka golden raisins in the US (½ Cup)
- 2 Large eggs at room temperature (one egg is for the egg wash, you can use milk as an alternative)
- 125 ml Whole milk (½ Cup) at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Here's what we do...
- Heat your oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/430°F/Gas mark 7.
- Line your large baking tray with a piece of greaseproof (parchment) paper.
- Sift together both flours, baking powder and salt into your large mixing bowl.
- Dot over softened butter and then rub into the flour mixture with your fingers, lifting the mixture up high as you go to incorporate air. Stop once the texture is sand-like and no lumps of butter remain.
- Stir in your sugar and sultanas and then make a well in the centre.
- Lightly beat together your room temperature milk, egg and vanilla extract and then pour into the well in the centre of your scone mixture.
- Mix with your fork until it forms a slightly sticky dough and all of the crumbs have been incorporated.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring together into a ball, knead about 5-6 times only.
- Flatten out to a depth of one inch and then cut out 4 scones with your pastry cutter, bring the remaining dough together and cut out the remaining 4 scones.
- Place your scones onto your lined baking tray leaving a gap of at least an inch between each one.
- Bake for 10 minutes, if lightly golden on the top and base they are ready, if not give them another 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overbake, this is a hot oven.
- Remove to a cooling rack and leave to cool, serve warm with jam and clotted cream.
Supporting Notes
Tips for perfect sultana scones
- Sift your flours, baking powder and salt together in order to add air and give your scones a lightness.
- After rubbing the butter into your flour mixture, give the bowl a shake backwards and forwards to bring any remaining larger lumps of butter to the surface, which you can then rub in.
- Pull your sultanas apart before mixing them into your flour mixture, they have a tendency to clump together, and also ensure any stalks are removed.
- Use a fork to mix in the wet ingredients it is far easier than mixing with a spoon!
- Sultana Scone dough should be quite wet and a sticky to touch, however if yours feels too wet simply add more flour.
- Dip your pastry cutter in flour in between cutting out each Sultana Scone, to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
- Push the pastry cutter into the dough in one clean movement and then pull it straight out, this will give your sultana scones smooth sides.
- Push sultanas back into the dough once you've cut your scones out, protruding sultanas will burn!
- When you eggwash your sultana scones be sure to paint it around the sides as well as the top to give a bronzed all-over glow.
- Be careful not to overbake your scones (I speak from experience!), scones are baked in a hot oven and even a minute too long can render them overdone.
Make Your own Notes on this Recipe here...
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