The 15-Minute Rule Paul Hollywood Follows When Baking Scones

Scones are a quintessential part of the British tea experience, but they're also a popular facet of American coffee shops and cafés. These baked goods, which can be mixed with sweet or savory add-ins, are great served with a steaming cup of coffee or tea. But, while they're nothing but a pleasure to eat, making them is a little more challenging. Plus, the mistakes you're making with your scone recipe may be causing fundamental issues down the road — all of which lead to a dry and flavorless bake.  

Luckily, we can look to professionals like Paul Hollywood, judge of "The Great British Baking Show" and cookbook author. As it turns out the proclaimed "King of Bread" has some tips for making scones, too. In a video he shared on his Instagram account, Hollywood notes his three fundamental tips for baking scones, one of which was the 15-minute rule. As Hollywood explained, he doesn't bake his scones in the oven for longer than 15 minutes. He explains that this ensures your scones will be "spot-on" almost every time. 

The 15-minute rule is designed to ensure that your scones don't get too brown in the oven. Overbaking this delicate pastry will only cause it to dry out, thus rendering it dry and flavorless. Besides setting a timer, you can also look for visual cues that your scones are finished. If you crack one open, it should have a moist (not wet) interior with a crisp outer shell. From there, you can serve the scones straight from the oven (just don't forget the jam and clotted cream), or let them sit on a rack to cool before you add a flavorful glaze.

Paul Hollywood also shared two more tips for top-notch scones. One of them was to avoid getting egg wash on the sides of the scones, as this prevents them from properly rising when they hit the oven. He also said lumpy fats in the batter can spell disaster. So, to avoid butter pouring all over the tray as the scones bake, he suggests breaking down the cold butter into smaller pieces. In the video, he rubs the fat into the flour to break it into tiny, easily distributed flecks.