Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　Perfectly textured inside and out, these scones truly are the real deal. Just a touch of butter or your favorite jam is all the embellishment they need.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 dozen scones

　　2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　2 teaspoons baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

　　2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

　　1 large egg, beaten

　　Vegetable oil for greasing

　　Equipment: a large griddle (preferably cast-iron) or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet

　　

Step 1

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk and egg with a fork just until a soft dough forms.

　　

Step 2

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, divide dough into thirds and knead each piece 3 or 4 times. Pat each piece into a 6-inch round (1/2 inch thick), then cut each round into 4 wedges.

　　

Step 3

Heat griddle over low heat until hot, then lightly oil.

　　

Step 4

Working in 2 batches, dust each wedge of dough with flour, patting off excess, then cook over low heat, undisturbed, 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and cook until puffed and undersides are golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes more. Turn scones over and cook until undersides are golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes (watch closely; move scones and adjust heat as needed so they cook through without burning). Turn scones on edges and cook until golden-brown, about 1 minute per edge. Cut one scone open to check for doneness.

　　

Step 5

Transfer to a rack and cool to warm. (Lightly oil griddle between batches.)