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Scones are great treats to have when you’re inviting friends over to have coffee with you. Many people also love to eat scones when they’re drinking tea.
They can either be sweet or savory depending on how you want to make them. Homemade scones have the potential to be incredible, but not everyone is used to making them.
You might be thinking of making scones for the first time soon, but you could be worried about how things will go if you don’t have a proper cutter. Cutters are used to shape the scones so that you can bake them properly, but is it really necessary to own a cutter to get the job done?
Is there some sort of substitute that you could use in place of one? Read on to learn about how to cut scones and you’ll also get information about scones that will help you enjoy them to the fullest.
There Are Differences Between English and American Scones
Did you know that English scones and American scones can differ quite a bit? English scones are actually a lot more similar to what Americans refer to as biscuits.
American scones are a bit more involved than the standard English scones that you’ll see people in the UK eating while having tea. An American scone is often much sweeter than an English scone because they include many more sweet ingredients.
The American scones will also be heavier than English ones because of the way that they’re made. Butter is used inside of the scones and this means that American scones won’t be topped with butter.
English scones usually have butter on top of them because it makes them tastier. They really are quite similar to standard American biscuits that people serve with meals.
Whether you’re going to make a traditional English scone or if you’re making a more dessert-oriented American scone, you’re going to have many options. They’ll surely be a hit if you’re able to make them correctly.
You Can Cut Scones Using Many Different Things
You don’t necessarily need to have a cutter just to cut scones. In fact, a scone cutter isn’t even something that is specifically used for scones.
When people are shaping scones, they will often use pastry cutters that are designed to help people cut pastries. Owning a cutter like this will make cutting scones a lot simpler, but it isn’t going to be necessary to get things done.
If you want to cut scones and you don’t have a cutter, then you could use some type of cookie cutter. It’s also going to be possible to cut scones using a standard knife if you want to go that route.
Some people have even simply used glasses or mugs to cut scones. It’s very simple to use a glass, mug, or coffee cup to cut a circular shape and make some type of scone.
You could even use a fork to get this done if you don’t have a knife that you can use. Having a scone cutter or pastry cutter of some sort can be considered optional.
That being said, using some type of pastry cutter will be for the best if you wish to make the scones look professional. If you’re just making the scones so that you can eat them and enjoy them, then it shouldn’t matter all that much.
If the overall presentation of the scones is a factor that you consider, then buying a scone cutter makes sense. They’re not expensive at all, and you’re going to be able to get one easily enough.
Good Tips for Cutting Scones
Now that you know that you don’t necessarily need a scone cutter, it’ll be time to figure out how to cut the scones properly. To cut them the right way, you’re supposed to flip a disc of dough once.
Take the time to cut the eight equal pieces. You can do this before you bake it and cut the disc of dough into eighths or you can cut everything after baking the scones.
You also don’t necessarily have to cut scones so that they will look like pie pieces. It’s possible to get more creative and you can cut them into various shapes if you’re interested in doing that.
This is why you see many people using cookie cutters to make scones. You could cut the dough into a heart shape using a heart-shaped pastry cutter.
If you’re good with a knife, then you could also try to cut shapes using the knife. This won’t be as easy as using a cookie-cutter, but it’s something that you can do if you want to put in the effort.
Once you’ve cut the scones into the shapes that you want them to be in, it’ll be time to place them on a baking sheet. The baking sheet should be lined with parchment paper.
Tips That Can Make Shaping Scones Simpler
Have you encountered any issues while trying to shape your scones? There might be some tips that will help you to get better results.
The first thing to know is that it’s always going to be best to use a floured cutting board. It makes it easier for you to shape the scones overall.
Try moving a bit of the dough onto the cutting board at a time. It’ll likely be better to work with a section of the dough that you’re using and shape it before moving on and grabbing more dough.
Sometimes you might notice that the dough that you’re using is a bit sticky. This is likely because you didn’t use enough flour and you can solve the problem by simply adding more flour.
Putting flour on your hands can help to keep the dough from sticking to you. You should flour your hands and then try to shape the dough into a disc that you can later cut into shapes.
When you’re trying to round the dough, it’s actually better to use gentle pats. If you handle the dough roughly and compress it, then the scones might turn out tougher than you want them to be.
How to Bake the Best Scones
Of course, cutting and shaping the scones will only be the first part of the process. You also have to bake the scones, and you want to try to do things right so that they will turn out fantastically.
Try to keep the scones cold until you’re ready to put them in the oven. The reason why you need to do this is that it can help the scones to rise better.
You’re also going to want to ensure that you take the time to preheat the oven. Don’t put the scones in the oven until it’s done preheating so that you’ll bake the scones at the proper temperature.
The length of time that you will need to bake the scones will depend on how big they are. Some people cut their scones smaller while others prefer larger scones.
Small scones should be able to finish baking in approximately eight minutes, but you’ll want to keep an eye on things. Larger scones will need to be baked for some time between 12 and 20 minutes.
The best way to tell when a scone has finished baking is to pull it out of the oven and see if it can be pulled off of the baking sheet easily or not. If the scone can pull away from the baking sheet with only a little bit of sticking, then it’s likely done baking.
Another way to tell if a scone has finished baking is to cut into it and look at the inside of the scone. If the scone is no longer doughy on the inside, then it’s finished baking and you can take it out of the oven.
Final Thoughts
If you’re worried about whether you’ll be able to make scones without a proper scone cutter, then you shouldn’t be. You don’t need a special pastry cutter to make scones since you can use many things to cut the dough.
You could use a glass, mug, or coffee cup to cut dough into circles. It’s also very easy to use a knife to cut the dough when you’re making scones.
Some people use simple cookie cutters to help shape scones in fun ways. There are many different things that you can do, and it’s never going to be difficult to get the job done.
Above, you’ve been given great advice for cutting scones in a traditional way. You don’t necessarily have to follow that advice if you have other ideas for how you want to cut the scones.
It will be really easy if you choose to follow the tips, though. You’ll have a simple time cutting and shaping the scones and you’ll be able to start eating delicious pastries soon enough.
Scones can be enjoyed with the entire family or you can eat them by yourself as a snack. You can enjoy them with coffee or you can eat them as a simple weekend treat.
Now that you know that scones are easy to make and that you don’t need a special cutter, it won’t feel intimidating to get started. Enjoy your time making scones.
