I Tried Nigella Lawson’s Secret To The Best Scones, And I’m Never Going Back

Flaky, tall, fluffy scones on the right; one of them filled with cream and jam (in that order!) on the right

Based on how strict I am about my carrot cake, brownie, and rocky road recipes, you’d be forgiven for thinking I’m against learning new tricks.

But that’s not the case! I recently found out that freezing cookie dough before cooking can help achieve that gooey, tall finish I love; I’ve adapted a chef’s habit of cooling spuds before roasting them.

I’ve even changed how I prep my American pancakes on the advice of pros.

So, of course I was willing to listen to Nigella Lawson herself when it came to scones.

Not only does the chef replace regular milk with buttermilk (a tenderising trick I grew up with in Ireland), but she uses a clever combination of fats and adds leavener-boosting ingredients too.

Having tried it, I’ve been amazed at what a difference they’ve made; they’re more tender, fluffier, taller, and more delicious than I’ve ever cooked prior.

A pitiful rubbery puck of a scone from the writer before Nigella’s advice on the left: layered, golden, taller scones on thr right following the chef’s tips

What are Nigella’s secrets to the best scones?

The TV presenter and chef adds as much cream of tartar as she does bicarbonate of soda to her scone mix.

This, combined with the acidity of the buttermilk, leads to a steep, rapid rise ― key for fluffy and tender scones.

Additionally, most people who have tried making scones will tell you that it’s very hard to keep butter cold enough to do the job.

Like puff pastry, the fat needs to be kept as solid as possible during mixing to create flaky pockets of delicious dough.

Nigella’s suggestion is easy and elegant ― she mixes two parts butter to one part vegetable shortening, which is solid at room temperature.

She “chops” the butter before adding it to the flour, too, ensuring the warmth of your fingers has less time to melt the butter when rubbing it in.

All of those changes turned my previously hockey puck-like, rubbery creations into proud, tall, tender delights.

The writer’s scones in a baking tray on the left; on a plate on the right

Can I sub out these ingredients if I don’t have them?

I’ve been surprised by how hard buttermilk can be to find in the UK, but luckily, you can make your own by simply adding a little lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for up to 10 minutes.

Don’t be tempted to replace this part ― it’s key to the scone’s fluffiness.

If you don’t have vegetable shortening, Nigella’s team says lard is the next-best substitute.

But again, the chef adds the product for a reason; “Vegetable shortening gives the scones and also pastry a flaky texture which butter cannot replicate,” her site reads.

Having tried her adjustments, I regret to inform you that she’s completely right.