Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g whole-wheat flour
- 15 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter, ice cold, cubed
- 120 g crème fraîche, cold
- 80 ml maple syrup, preferably dark amber
- 1 egg, cold
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Add-ins and Finishing
- 150 g fresh blueberries, washed and dried thoroughly
- 15 ml heavy cream
- 10 g coarse sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until well combined.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cold crème fraîche, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until completely smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry butter-flour mixture. Gently mix with a spatula or fork until the dough just begins to come together. Do not overmix.
Carefully fold the fresh blueberries into the dough, taking care not to crush them, which would turn the dough grey. The dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a circle about 20 centimeters in diameter and 2.5 centimeters thick. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, press straight down to cut the circle into 8 equal wedges.
Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 5 centimeters of space between each. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to chill the butter.
Brush the tops of the chilled scones lightly with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the scones to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool slightly before serving.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve maximum flakiness, try grating frozen butter into your dry ingredients instead of cubing it. This ensures perfect distribution with minimal warmth from your hands.
- When cutting the scones into wedges, press your knife straight down and pull straight back up. Do not drag the blade or twist, as this seals the edges and prevents the scones from rising properly.
- The blend of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour provides an excellent balance of structure, nutty flavor, and lightness. Using 100 percent whole-wheat would result in a texture that is too heavy and dense.
- If your dough feels too dry to come together during the folding phase, add a single tablespoon of heavy cream or milk. Flour hydration can vary greatly depending on brand and ambient humidity.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked scones or unbaked dough wedges. Add 3 to 5 minutes to bake time if baking from frozen.
Reheating: Warm in a 175C/350F oven for 5 to 8 minutes until heated through, or microwave for 15 seconds.
