The Kitchenman: Memories of scones from Guthrie's bakery

The first scone that I remember tasting was made by Guthrie’s Bakery. This old fashioned British Isle styled bakery made the scones for serving most of the founders of Hespeler, Preston Guelph and Galt. Topped with some fresh strawberry preserves and sided with a good cup of coffee or tea, they made a great morning nosh. 

One of the most requested kitchenman baked items, these flaky light biscuits were topped with tuna salad, minced ham or used for an eggs benny. The cheddar cheese were by far the number one seller. I learned how to perfectly make these flaky biscuits after numerous trials and errors. 

The trick to flaky scones is keeping your hot hands away from the frozen butter and handling the dough as little as possible.

You can make these sweet or savoury and they’re good the next day.

Recipe:

3 cups fresh all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp kosher salt

6 oz unsalted butter, frozen.

1 cup graded cheddar cheese

1 cup of crisp fresh bacon bits. [optional]

2 tbs fresh chopped spring onion [optional]

1-1/3 cups shaken cold buttermilk

2 tbs buttermilk for brushing tops

1 tbs coarse flaky sea salt for dusting

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl, stir or whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt.

Quickly grate butter in large holes of box grater. Add butter to flour mixture. Using fingertips, toss flour mixture over butter to gently combine. Now add the cheddar, bacon and spring onion and toss to coat with flour mixture.

Make well in centre of mixture; add buttermilk.

Using fork, stir dough until it just comes together and soft dough forms.

Turn out onto a floured large sheet of parchment paper and gently press into a rectangle that’s about 11/2 inch thick and 12 inches long by 8 inches wide. Using the parchment paper, fold dough over itself, pressing gently. (The paper keeps your body heat from melting the butter.) 

Fold and press, incorporating any fallen dry bits, until mixture just comes together, handling dough as little as possibly to keep it tender and flaky. 

Using a round cookie cutter or a soup can cut into 12 desired shapes.

Arrange scones, one inch apart, on prepared baking sheets.

Using pastry brush, brush tops with buttermilk. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt,

Bake in preheated 425F oven, in batches, until firm to touch and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer to wire rack to cool. Eat warm or seal in a container to be eaten within 24 hours.

Enjoy!

(Makes 12 scones)

Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for GuelphToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, thekitchenman.ca