Ayrshire Buttermilk Scones

Name: Ayrshire Buttermilk Scones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 350 g self-raising flour; 1.5 tsp Baking powder; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 35 g caster sugar; 75 g unsalted scottish butter; 200 ml cultured buttermilk; 30 ml Whole milk; 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract

Tender, golden scones made with rich cultured buttermilk from Ayrshire dairy country, perfect served warm with butter and jam.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South West Scotland

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 220 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

350 g self-raising flour — plus extra for dusting
1½ tsp Baking powder — level
½ tsp Fine sea salt — ground
35 g caster sugar — fine white
75 g unsalted scottish butter — chilled and cubed
200 ml cultured buttermilk — well shaken
30 ml Whole milk — plus 1 tbsp extra for brushing
½ tsp Vanilla extract — optional

Equipment

•baking tray
•greaseproof paper
•large mixing bowl
•round fluted pastry cutter (6cm)
•pastry brush
•wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 220 kcal
fat: 8 g
carbs: 32 g
fibre: 1.2 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 220 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line a heavy baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2
Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
3
Stir the caster sugar through the flour mixture until evenly combined.
4
Rub the chilled cubed butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
5
Pour the buttermilk, whole milk, and vanilla extract into the centre of the bowl.
6
Stir gently with a round-bladed knife until the dough just comes together into a soft mass.
7
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together gently without kneading.
8
Pat the dough out with your hands to an even thickness of about 3 cm.
9
Cut rounds using a 6cm fluted cutter, pressing straight down without twisting.
10
Place the scones onto the lined baking tray and brush the tops lightly with a little milk.
11
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until well risen and golden brown on top.
12
Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cover loosely with a clean tea towel to keep the crust soft.

Chef's tips

Handle the dough as little as possible to keep the scones light and fluffy. Never twist the cutter when stamping out rounds, as twisting seals the edges and prevents the dough from rising evenly.

Ingredient substitutions

cultured buttermilk → whole milk mixed with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, rested for 5 minutes
self-raising flour → plain flour mixed with 2 additional tsp of baking powder

Storage

Store leftover scones in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one day, though buttermilk scones are best enjoyed the day they are baked.

Reheating

Warm gently in a preheated oven at 160°C for 3 to 5 minutes to restore their soft, tender crumb.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overworking the dough, which develops gluten and produces heavy, rubbery scones.
•Twisting the pastry cutter, which pinches the edges and stops the scones from rising straight.
•Baking at too low an oven temperature, resulting in pale scones that fail to spring upwards.

Serving suggestions

Split warm and spread generously with salted Scottish butter.Top with homemade Scottish raspberry jam and a spoonful of clotted cream.Serve freshly baked alongside a pot of hot black tea.