Scone Thins - AKA Breakfast Biscuits or Breakfast Cookies
Two Recipes: Ginger Lemon Scone Thins and Cranberry Scone Thins. Things that I find useful when making Scone Thins.
8/25/23
#Breakfast Biscuits #Breakfast Cookies #Scone Thins
Faux Bento Box of Scone Thins
Inspiration and love | Love and inspiration
The Seed
The tiniest wisp of inspiration can send me spiraling down a rabbit hole. That’s what happened with Scone Thins. I was browsing through a new baking book a few years ago when I stopped with a gasp on a page with a tiny picture of a thin cookie-like scone, a concept I had never seen before. The minute I saw it, I was in love. Something like this little seed of an idea draws me into the kitchen. As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, I never do anything half-way when it comes to pastry work. So, here’s my not “half-way” interpretation of this thin scone concept.
Close-Up of Scone Thins: Left – Cranberry with Sparkling Sugar. Right – Ginger Lemon with Swedish Pearl Sugar
Imagine
My imagination took me to a small morning gathering of coffee-seeking people. What would I serve? My answer was this assortment of Scone Thins arranged in a Faux Bento Box. Actually, it was a bamboo drawer divider. You know the kind, with sections for spoons, forks, and knives. But it works. I won’t tell if you don’t tell. I always use paper muffin cups or pastry cases to further divide the tray and add softness to the arrangement. I guess it’s my restaurant training, but whenever I bake something, I’m always thinking about what my presentation will be.
You don’t have to have a group of people to enjoy Scone Thins
From Idea to Kitchen
It is a seed planted by someone else that, many times, inspires me to plunge into a new project; it might be something that the day before had not even been on my radar screen. It might be a concept, as was the case with these Scone Thins, or it might be a new technique, or a new recipe calling for me to develop it.
As the seed of an idea transports me into a new landscape, I realize again but have always known, new concepts or recipes don’t just come to fruition by themselves. It takes careful watering of the seed and cultivating the emerging picture in my mind of the finished product.
It also takes hard work to achieve that blossoming vision. The work involves making a new creation a few times, or as many times as it takes before it looks and tastes the way I want. And I’m always striving for that wow! factor. I Hope you’ll make the Scone Thins, and enjoy them, and maybe even love them as much as I do.
Tea for Two with Scone Thins
Things that I find useful when making Scone Thins
1) Digital Scale: I like this Escali scale; it is very durable and not too expensive. Amazon says the last time I purchased one of these was June 16, 2013. I’ve been using it constantly for ten years and it still works and it’s still accurate. Did you know? The easiest way to check the accuracy of your scale is to put a pound of butter on the scale and see if it really weighs one pound.
2) Sheet Pans: Quarter-size sheet pans 9½" x 13", (also called bun pans) for the dough sheets and Half-size sheet pans (13" x 18") for baking.
3) Parchment Paper: Half-size parchment sheets (Cut them in half to use in the quarter sheet pans).
4) Long slicing knife or pizza cutter for cutting into rectangles.
5) C-thru ruler: 12" C-Thru Graph Ruler.
6) 2¾" Round Cutter: Either plain round or Matfer #70 fluted round. Or 3”Scallop Cutter.
recipes:
Ginger Lemon Scone Thins
AKA Breakfast Biscuits or Breakfast Cookies
This recipe highlights one of my favorite flavor combinations: ginger and lemon. I especially like crystallized ginger in scones and other baked goods. It treats you to such a zingy burst of flavor. I’ve used yogurt here, which I find to be a great dairy ingredient for either scones or muffins. This dough is like cutting out cookies; I recommend cutting the scone thins into rectangles and scalloped rounds. Just be sure to cut and bake when the dough is partially frozen.
YIELD: NET WEIGHT OF DOUGH─1130g (2 lb 8 oz)
32 - 2" X 3" (5 x 7.5 cm) RECTANGLES (About 35g each)
OR: 24 - SCALLOPED ROUNDS - 2¾" (7 cm) Diameter – (About 30g each).
INGREDIENTS
DRY:
300 grams all-purpose flour - King Arthur (2 cups + 2 Tablespoons)
130 grams cake flour - Preferably King Arthur unbleached but bleached is ok (1 cup)
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
20 grams baking powder (4 teaspoons)
10 grams fine sea salt (2 teaspoons)
175 grams unsalted cold butter, cut into ⅜" cubes (1½ sticks)
LIQUIDS:
90 grams heavy cream (about 1/3 cup)
90 grams whole milk yogurt (about 1/3 cup)
50 grams whole egg (1 large)
30 grams egg white (1 large)
15 grams lemon zest (from 3 large lemons)
ADD-INS:
175 grams candied ginger, cut into ¼" (6 mm) dice (1 cup)
1185 grams = Total Recipe: 41 oz (2 lb 9 oz)
TOPPING:
Brush tops of unbaked scone thins with heavy cream and sprinkle with Swedish Pearl Sugar. Or omit the sugar, and just brush tops with cream.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. SET UP a quarter-sheet pan 9” x 12” x 1” (23 x 30 x 2.5 cm) lined with parchment paper, for freezing dough layers. Set up two half sheet pans 13” x 18” x 1” (33 x 45 x 2.5 cm) lined with parchment paper for baking.
2. COMBINE dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend. Add cold butter chunks to the flour and rub between your hands creating large flakes. Continue rubbing until mixture looks mealy with some remaining butter flakes.
3. WHISK together in a separate bowl the heavy cream, yogurt, eggs, and egg whites. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix, using a large rubber spatula, until the liquids are half absorbed. Scatter the candied ginger over the top and continue to mix just until the dough comes together and the ginger is evenly distributed.
4. PULL dough together in the bowl, scraping up loose flour from the bottom. Transfer dough to a floured counter and press together. Pat out into a rough rectangle about 8" x 12" (20 x 30 cm). Fold dough in half and turn it so that the folded edge is facing you. Repeat, patting the dough into a rectangle each time, before doing a total of 3 half-folds.
5. SCALE THE DOUGH: Weigh into two portions at 565g (20 ounces / 1¼ lb) each. (Note: this recipe makes 2 sheets of dough, quarter-sheet size (8" x 12" x ⅜" thick).
6. TO ROLL OUT DOUGH SHEETS: Place one portion of dough on a quarter-sheet of parchment sprinkled generously with flour (cut half sheets of parchment in half for this). Pat out gently so it’s easy to roll out. Cover the dough with a sheet of plastic wrap and roll out with rolling pin to an even ⅜" (10 mm) thickness the size of the parchment. This not only makes it easy to roll the dough to the correct size, but it allows you slide the rolled-out dough (with parchment and plastic wrap still intact) off the counter and into a quarter-sheet pan for freezing. Repeat this process with the other portion of dough. You can stack the sheets of dough in the pan to save freezer space.
7. FREEZE the pan of dough sheets. This dough can be frozen for up to a month, so cut and bake off all the Scone Thins at once or as needed.
8. REMOVE one sheet of frozen dough from the freezer at a time and place on a cutting board. Loosen the parchment and remove the plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or until easy to cut, but don’t thaw completely. CUT into desired shapes
9. FOR SCALLOPED ROUNDS: Cut out rounds using a 2¾" (7 cm) scallop cutter. Bake right away or lay close together on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze until needed. Bake off dough scraps for snacks.
10. FOR RECTANGLES: Using a 2" (5 cm) wide C-Thru ruler, cut a sheet of partially frozen dough crosswise into four 3" (7.5 cm) strips, then cut lengthwise into four 2" (5 cm) strips, creating 16 - 2" x 3" (5 x 7.5 cm) rectangles. . For cutting, use a long slicing knife (or a pizza cutter) with a ruler as a guide.
11. ARRANGE the partially frozen Scone Thins on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with Swedish Pearl Sugar, if desired.
12. BAKE at 400° F (204° C) for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
13. COOL Scone Thins on the baking pan.
14. BAKED Scone Thins freeze as well as the dough. I like to freeze them on a sheet pan first, then stack them into a plastic bag; freeze for up to a month.
Recipe Ancestry Notes:
I adapted the scone recipe from Nancy Silverton's Pastries From the La Brea Bakery (2000) by Nancy Silverton. The concept for thin scones, which Rose calls Scone Toppers, was inspired by Rose Levy Beranbaum in her cookbook The Baking Bible (2014). Thank you Nancy and Rose.
Posted 8/25/23 shirldgard.substack.com
Cranberry Cream Cheese Scone Thins
Cranberry Cream Cheese Scone Thins
AKA Breakfast Biscuits or Breakfast Cookies
Scone Thins are for any time you want just a few bites of something cozy and crunchy: breakfast, coffee break, or teatime. I calibrated the recipe so that it would take a full 8-ounce package of cream cheese (Philadelphia brand). Along with two sticks of butter, a half pint of heavy cream, and two large eggs, this makes four out of the nine ingredients that you don't have to weigh or measure, so it is easy to put the dough together.
YIELD: NET WEIGHT OF DOUGH─2000 grams (4# 6 oz)
56 - 2" x 3" (5 x 7.5 cm) RECTANGLES (About 35g each)
OR: 42 - 2¾" (7 cm) DIAMETER ROUNDS (About 30g each)
INGREDIENTS
DRY:
490 grams all-purpose unbleached flour (King Arthur) (3½ cups)
280 grams bleached all-purpose flour (Gold Medal) (2 cups)
200 grams sugar (1 cup)
40 grams baking powder (2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons)
10 grams fine sea salt (2 teaspoons)
225 grams cold unsalted butter, cut in ⅜" chunks (2 sticks)
225 grams cold Philadelphia cream cheese, cut in ⅜" chunks (One 8-ounce package)
LIQUIDS:
240 grams heavy cream (1 cup/1/2 pint)
100 grams whole eggs (2 large)
ADD-INS:
240 grams dried cranberries (1½ cups)
2050 grams = Total 72 oz (4# 8 oz)
TOPPING:
Brush tops of unbaked Scone Thins with heavy cream and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Or omit the sugar, and just brush tops with cream.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. SET UP a quarter-sheet pan 9” x 12” x 1” (23 x 30 x 2.5 cm) lined with parchment paper, for freezing dough layers. Set up two half sheet pans 13” x 18” x 1” (33 x 45 x 2.5 cm) lined with parchment paper, for baking.
2. COMBINE dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to blend. Add cold butter and cream cheese and cream cheese flakes.
3. WHISK together in a separate bowl the heavy cream and eggs. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix, using a large rubber spatula, until the liquids are half absorbed. Scatter the cranberries over the top and continue to mix just until the dough comes together and the cranberries are evenly distributed.
4. PULL dough together in the bowl, scraping up loose flour from the bottom. Transfer dough to a floured counter and press together. Pat out into a rough rectangle about 8" x 12" (20 x 30 cm). Fold dough in half and turn it so that the folded edge is facing you. Repeat, patting the dough into a rectangle each time, before doing a total of 3 half-folds.
5. SCALE THE DOUGH: Weigh into three portions at 570 grams (20 ounces / 1¼ lb) each and one portion 285 grams (10 ounces). (Note: this recipe makes 3½ sheets of dough, quarter-sheet size (8" x 12" x ⅜" thick).
6. TO ROLL OUT DOUGH SHEETS: PLACE one portion of dough on a quarter-sheet of parchment paper sprinkled generously with flour (cut half sheets of parchment in half for this). Pat out gently so it’s easy to roll out. Cover the dough with a sheet of plastic wrap and roll out with rolling pin to an even ⅜" (10 mm) thickness the size of the parchment. This not only makes it easy to roll the dough to the correct size, but it allows you slide the rolled-out dough (with parchment and plastic wrap still intact) off the counter and into a quarter-sheet pan for freezing. Repeat this process with the other portions of dough. You can stack the sheets of dough in the pan to save freezer space.
7. FREEZE the pan of dough sheets. This dough can be frozen for up to a month, so cut and bake off all the Scone Thins at once, or as needed.
8. REMOVE one sheet of frozen dough from the freezer at a time and place on a cutting board. Loosen the parchment and remove the plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or until easy to cut, but don’t thaw completely. CUT into desired shapes.
9. FOR RECTANGLES: CUT a sheet of partially frozen dough crosswise into four 3" (7.5 cm) strips, then cut lengthwise into four 2" (5 cm) strips, creating 16 - 2" x 3" (5 x 7.5 cm) rectangles. For cutting, use a long slicing knife (or a pizza cutter) with a ruler as a guide.
10. FOR ROUNDS: CUT a sheet of partially frozen dough using
a 2¾" round cutter. I like to use a Matfer fluted round cutter #70, which is 2¾" in diameter, but you can also use a plain round cutter of the same size. When using a 2¾" cutter, each sheet of dough will yield 12 rounds. The scraps can be baked off for snacks.
11. ARRANGE the partially frozen Scone Thins on parchment-lined half sheet pans. Brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if desired.
12. BAKE @ 400° F (204° C) for 15 - 17 minutes until golden brown.
13. COOL Scone Thins on the baking pan.
14. BAKED Scone Thins freeze as well as the dough. I like to freeze them on a sheet pan first, then stack them into a plastic bag; freeze for up to a month.
Recipe Ancestry Notes:
The concept for thin scones was inspired by Rose Levy Beranbaum in her cookbook The Baking Bible (2014). Rose calls them "Scone Toppers." Also inspired by Rose: the use of cream cheese as an ingredient in scone dough. Thank you Rose. I created this recipe by loosely adapting a recipe for Orange Currant Scones by Judy Rogers in The Zuni Café Cookbook (2002). Although she is no longer with us, she deserves a thank you.
Posted 8/25/23 shirldgard.substack.com
Please leave a note. I would love to hear your comments. Until next time.
I love this idea!
Shirl, these both look wonderful! My grandchildren are coming to visit next weekend and I would like to make these. Question: the birthday girl, turning 9, loves sprinkles. Do you think I could swap out the dried cranberries for sprinkles? (I know! I'm probably sacrificing taste here, but I promise to bake them as written next time!) Thank you for sharing your baking wisdom. I am learning so much!