In the Middle of a Chain Reaction?

Chocolate Scones — Chocolate and Salted Caramel Marshmallow Scones

‘You took a mystery and made me want it…. I'm on a journey for the inspiration….. I'm in the middle of a chain reaction’! Imagine fluffy, light, soft…. a sequence of responses causing additional reactions! Eating a scone will never be the same!

When making any sort of ‘quick bread’ a good rise and ultimate lightness are essential factors. We are forever on the search for that ideal recipe and a flawless method. Look no further, just taking a minute to look at the chemical reactions that take place in front of our eyes during baking is the key to success.

My 6 point plan below will give you exceptional scones aswell as an understanding what has happened during the sifting, crumbing, mixing, rolling and temperature control.

6 Point Plan for #awesome scones!

1 The Power of the Powder

I have always thought that scones and soda bread look quite similar, an almost identical base of ingredients i.e. flour, butter, flavourings, liquid but the difference lies in the powdered raising agent. One uses bicarbonate of soda and one uses baking powder.

The science bit!

Food is made up of chemical substances - 'macronutrients' (e.g. #protein), 'micronutrients' (e.g. #vitamins), water, and fibre.

Different food groups are acidic, alkaline, or neutral:

• Acidic: meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, grains, alcohol.

• Neutral: natural fats, starches, and sugars.

• Alkaline: fruits, nuts, legumes, and vegetables.

Within baking you need to add alkaline and acidic components within the ingredient list to enable the raising reaction. In soda bread the alkaline element is #bicarbonateofsoda, or baking soda. Scones usually use #bakingpower which is ‘ready-made’ i.e. has the alkali (bicarbonate of soda) and an acid (cream of tartar, a byproduct when fermenting grapes into wine), all pre-prepared within the powder.

2 Cold cold cold

Start with cold ingredients — #coldbutter, cold eggs, cold liquid.

Again back to #science, the cold ingredients prevents the butter within the mixture from melting before the scones are baked. During cooking the butter creates steam as it melts, the steam melts the butter creating air pockets. End result being a flaky bake.

Any ‘heating up’ of a mixture containing baking powder speeds up the chemical reaction, making the carbon dioxide gas form more quickly.

There are also ‘single and double-acting baking powders’, more detail on this within point 6 below.

Courgette, Flour Scone Mix — Raising agents all ready and waiting for the Buttermilk

3 Buttermilk

As mentioned above scones will often use baking power as it contains both the alkaline and acid components needed for the chain reactions. Many ingredient lists then advise to use milk as the combining liquid. The liquid ignites the chain reactions. Once the liquid is added production of carbon dioxide and related bubbles are formed, expanding the mixture. The carbon dioxide is replaced by air after cooking, giving a lightness to a bake.

My advise is to use #buttermilk at ALL times, a little ‘extra’ boost for ultimate lightness. It has the double qualities of being the liquid and an acid. Your scones are getting a #doublewammy chain reaction!

4 Check your Altitude!

Ever considered #altitutebaking - also things like temperature and humidity can affect a recipe and the amount of ingredients.

Do you live up to ‘609.6 to 914.4 meters’ above sea-level? If you live higher than this, you will need to adjust your recipe e.g.

• Use less baking soda or baking powder.

• Use less sugar.

• Add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of liquid.

• Add more flour.

• Increase the oven temperature.

• Bake the scones longer.

Check your altitude!

5 ‘Kneady Squeezey’

So all the ingredients are now meeting each other. Getting to know each other, sparks of reactions occurring! How much help should you be giving? In ‘quick breads’ our role is simply ‘the introduction’. Therefore, you need to knead but only to bring everyone to the party. Don’t overdo it otherwise everyone leaves before the music starts.

In the early days my scone doughs would be so dry and I would desperately try and bring all the crumbs into the dough ball. The resulting scone very dry and crumbly. I’ve realised the secret is all in the texture, ideally a little bit wet, some would call sticky. Not too sticky though otherwise the result is a scone that is too tough and chew.

I do the ‘gentle squeeze’ test, everyone knows each others name now it’s just getting to understand their likes and dislikes.

6 Hot & Holey Moley Matters

I have discover holey baking sheets - these are perfect to stop the #soggybottom - allows the heat of the oven to envelope the full scone. Perhaps you feel slightly short changed when you buy the baking sheet afterall it has holes punched all over it but it does ensure an even baking from both the top and the bottom.

Pre-heat your oven and set the dial to quite a hot heat (approx temperature 200°C subject to being a fan oven etc) as often a #secondrise takes place during the cooking process.

Many baking powders today are ‘double-acting’ working in two phases, once when cold when liquid is added and secondly when hot when in the oven. Sometimes you hear of ‘fast-acting acid’ - this can mean the chain reactions take place at room temperature, whilst mixing. Whereas a slow-acting acid doesn’t react until heated. Hence why the heat of the oven and the heat being able to get to all areas of the scone is so important.

So in summary, just a quick 6 pointer for amazing scones! An remember it’s all in the reaction:

'A chemical process in which substances act mutually on each other and are changed into different substances, or one substance changes into other substances.'

'Something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event.'

Now let the chemistry take care of itself and let us feel the pleasure in the eating!

Scones within an #emmabridgewater tin — Gold Rush 'Star Shaped' Scones - #starbaker

Recipe - ‘Scones & Sunflowers Gold Rush Scones'

(if you make these scones please tag me in your photos, would've to see them @scones_sunflowers)

Ingredients:

450g self raising flour

112g unsalted butter

340g grated courgettes (I use a mixture of Gold Rush Yellow Courgettes and some Green Courgettes)

120g grated cheese (mixture of Parmesan and a strong Cheddar) (use some for topping the scone before popping in the oven)

225ml buttermilk (depends on weather conditions etc you may need a little more or a little less)

2 level tsp baking powder

1 level tsp mustard (wet)

1/2 - 1 tsp paprika

1 egg - beaten

Heat the oven to 200°C / Gas Mark 6
Sift the flour, paprika, baking power into a bowl, then rub in the butter to form fine breadcrumbs
Mix in the grated courgettes and grated cheese
Combine the mustard within the buttermilk
Add approx half of the beaten egg (use the other half for brushing the tops before going into oven)
Add the buttermilk / mustard mix adding a little at a time to bring everything to a soft almost squidgy dough
Tip dough onto floured surface and knead to bring the dough fully together.
Roll the dough to a 3cm thickness
Stamp out into shapes of choice (approx 7cm cutter diameter)
Bring the off-cuts together, roll and stamp until all dough shaped as desired
Brush the tops with egg / scatter the remaining grated cheese onto the scones.
Bake in the oven approx 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crusty on the top.
Cool on a wire tray
Twist the scone, lather with Parsley & Mint Butter (or any butter combo of your choice)
Eat!!