The
scone is a small
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
quickbread (or
cakeCake is a form of food that is usually sweet and often baked. Cakes normally combine some kind of flour, a sweetening agent , a binding agent , fats , a...
if recipe includes sugar) of
ScottishScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
origin. Scones are especially popular in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
and
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, but are eaten in many other countries. They are usually made of
wheatWheat is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Fertile Crescent region of the Near East. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
,
barleyBarley is a cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare. It serves as a major animal feed crop, with smaller amounts used for malting and in health food. It is used in soups, stews and barley bread in various countries, such as Scotland and in Africa...
or
oatmealOatmeal is ground oat groats , or a porridge made from this product...
, with
baking powderBaking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods such as muffins, cakes, scones and North American biscuits. Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in...
as a
leavening agentA leavening agent is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action which lightens and softens the finished product...
. The scone is a basic component of the
cream teaA Cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish cream tea is tea taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream , and jam....
or Devonshire tea.
The pronunciation of the word across the United Kingdom varies. According to one academic study, two-thirds of the British population pronounce it , rhyming with "con" and "John," with the preference rising to 99% in the Scottish population. The rest pronounce it , rhyming with "cone" and "Joan." British dictionaries usually show the "con" form as the preferred pronunciation, while recognizing that the "cone" form also exists.
According to the
Oxford English Dictionary,
scone derives perhaps from the
Middle DutchMiddle Dutch is a collective name for a number of closely related West Germanic dialects which were spoken and written between 1150 and 1500...
schoonbrood (fine white bread), from
schoon (pure, clean) and
brood (bread). The word is attested in the
Scots languageScots or Lowland Scots is the variety of Germanic language traditionally spoken in lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster. It is not to be confused with Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language varieties traditionally spoken in the Highlands and Hebrides....
long before it was in more general use in the
English languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
. The first mention of the word was by a Scottish poet in 1513.
The original scone was round and flat, usually the size of a small plate. It was made with unleavened oats and baked on a griddle (or
girdle, in the
Scots languageScots or Lowland Scots is the variety of Germanic language traditionally spoken in lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster. It is not to be confused with Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language varieties traditionally spoken in the Highlands and Hebrides....
), then cut into triangle-like quadrants for serving. Today, many would call the large round cake a
bannockBannock is any of a large variety of flat quick breads. The word can also be applied to any large, round article baked or cooked from grain. When a round bannock is cut into wedges, the wedges are often called scones. But in Scotland, the words bannock and scone are often used...
, and call the quadrants
scones. In Scotland, the words are often used interchangeably.
When
baking powderBaking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods such as muffins, cakes, scones and North American biscuits. Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in...
became available to the masses, scones began to be the oven-baked, well-leavened items we know today.
Modern scones are widely available in British bakeries,
grocery storeA grocery store is a store established primarily for the retailing of food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells them to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household...
s, and
supermarketA supermarket, also called a grocery store in some parts of North America, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s. A 2005 market report estimated the UK scone market to be worth £64m, showing a 9% increase over the previous five years. The increase is partly due to an increasing consumer preference for impulse and convenience foods.
Scones sold commercially are usually round in shape, although some cheaper brands are hexagonal as this shape minimises wasteage of dough. When prepared at home, they take various shapes including triangles, rounds and squares. The baking of scones at home is often closely tied to heritage baking. They tend to be made from family recipes rather than recipe books, since it is often a family member who holds the "best" and most treasured recipe.
Varieties
British scones are often lightly sweetened, but may also be
savouryis one of the five generally recognized basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human tongue. Umami is a loanword from Japanese meaning roughly "tasty", although "brothy", "meaty", or "savory" have been proposed as alternative translations. The same taste is also known as...
. They frequently include
raisinRaisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world, such as Armenia, the United States, Australia, Chile, Argentina, Macedonia, Mexico, Greece, Syria, Turkey, India, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, China, Afghanistan, Togo, and Jamaica, as well as South Africa and Southern and...
s,
currantThe Zante currant is a variety of small, sweet, seedless grape named after Corinth and the Ionian island of Zakynthos and not to be confused with the original currants which are berries of shrubs in the Ribes genus and are in a different family altogether...
s,
cheeseCheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into...
or dates. In
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and
UlsterUlster is one of the four Provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island.Ulster is composed of nine counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone are part of Northern Ireland; while Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of the Republic of Ireland.-Terminology:The...
, savoury varieties of scone include
soda scones, also known as soda
farlA farl is a term used in Northern Ireland and Scotland for some roughly triangular flat breads and cakes, traditionally made by cutting a round into four pieces....
s, and
potato sconesA potato scone is a regional variant of the savoury griddle scone which is especially popular in Scotland and The Isle of Mann....
, normally known as
tattie scones, which resemble small, thin savoury
pancakeA pancake is a thin, flat cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side. A crêpe is a very thin and...
s made with potato flour and resemble latke. Potato scones are most commonly served fried in a
full Scottish breakfastA full breakfast is a traditional cooked meal, typically and originally eaten at breakfast, though now often served at other times during the day....
or an Ulster fry.
The
griddle sconeThe griddle scone is a variety of scone which is fried in a small amount of butter on a griddle or frying pan rather than baked.In the Scots language, a griddle is referred to as a "girdle". Therefore "griddle scones" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in New Zealand where...
is a variety of scone which is fried rather than baked. In the
Scots languageScots or Lowland Scots is the variety of Germanic language traditionally spoken in lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster. It is not to be confused with Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language varieties traditionally spoken in the Highlands and Hebrides....
, a
griddleA griddle is a piece of cooking equipment. In the industrial world usually it is a flat plate of metal . In the non-industrial world, and in traditional cultures, the griddle may be a stone or brick slab or tablet. It is used over an open flame, or on a stove, to cook many foods, including many...
is referred to as a "girdle". Therefore "
griddle sconeThe griddle scone is a variety of scone which is fried in a small amount of butter on a griddle or frying pan rather than baked.In the Scots language, a griddle is referred to as a "girdle". Therefore "griddle scones" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in New Zealand where...
s" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
where scones, of all varieties, form an important part of the traditional
cuisineNew Zealand cuisine is largely driven by local ingredients and seasonal variations. Occupying an island nation with a primarily agricultural economy, New Zealanders enjoy quality local produce from land and sea...
.
Another common variety is the
dropped scone, or
drop scone, after the method of dropping the batter onto the griddle or frying pan to cook it.
In some countries one may also encounter savoury varieties of scone which may contain or be topped with combinations of
cheeseCheese is a food consisting of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into...
,
onionOnion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa. Allium cepa is also known as the "garden onion" or "bulb" onion...
,
baconBacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured in a brine or in a dry packing, both consisting largely of salt; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months , boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
etc.
In the United States, scones are drier, larger and typically sweet. Those sold by coffee shops often include fillings such as
cranberriesCranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the genus Vaccinium subgenus Oxycoccos, or in some treatments, in the distinct genus Oxycoccos...
, blueberries,
nutNut is a general term for the large, dry, oily seeds or fruit of some plants. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts. Nuts are an important source of nutrients for both humans and...
s, or even
chocolate chipChocolate chips are small chunks of chocolate. They are often sold in a round, flat-bottomed teardrop shape. They are available in numerous sizes, from large to miniature, but are usually around 1 cm in diameter...
s. More original fillings include
SmartiesNestlé Smarties are a colourful sugar-coated chocolate confectionery popular all over the world. They have been manufactured since at least 1882, originally by H.I. Rowntree & Co.....
and
M&M'sM&M's are candy-coated pieces of milk chocolate with the letter "m" printed on them, produced by Mars, Incorporated. Popular in the United States and many other countries, several variations of the candies exist, including milk chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, mint, dark chocolate , and almond....
. There are also floral scone mixes available which make scones that taste like the scent of flowers such as
roseRed Roses is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Empordà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast at the northern end of the Gulf of Roses, and is an important fishing port and tourist centre. The C-260 road links the town with Figueres....
, violet,
jasmineJasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family , with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World...
,
lavenderThe lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region south to tropical Africa and to the southeast regions of India. The genus includes annuals, herbaceous plants, subshrubs, and small shrubs...
, and
orange blossomsOrange Blossoms may refer to:*124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment*Casa Loma Orchestra...
.
A more recent version of the scone is the 'lemonade scone,' which is made with lemonade and cream instead of butter and milk. However, most fillings tend to be spices, including
cinnamonCinnamon is a small evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka, or the spice obtained from the tree's bark...
and poppyseed.
Regional variations
Scones are popular in
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
as well as England and Scotland, and were chosen as the
Republic of IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
representative for
Café EuropeCafé Europe, Café d'Europe or also Café Europa was a cultural initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, held on Europe Day in 27 cafés of the capitals of the then 25 EU member states and the two countries which would join the Union in 2007...
during the
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
n Presidency of the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
in 2006 (the United Kingdom chose
shortbreadShortbread is a type of biscuit which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts oatmeal . Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture...
).
Scones are also a popular baked good in the Scandinavian countries.
PumpkinPumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It is a common name of or can refer to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata. They are typically orange or yellow and have many creases...
scones are a well-known variant in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, made famous during the period when Florence Bjelke-Petersen was in the public eye. Scones served with jam and cream, and accompanied by tea is popular throughout the country. This is commonly known as Devonshire Tea.
In
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, scones are popular in the Pacific coastal province of
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
and widely sold in both bakeries and ordinary grocery stores.
Scones are quite popular in Argentina (brought by Irish and English immigrants and from Welsh immigrants in Patagonia ). They are usually accompanied by tea, coffee or
mateMate , also known as chimarrão or cimarrón, is a traditional South American infused drink. It is prepared from steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water...
.
Round-shaped British scones can resemble North American
biscuitA biscuit is a kind of small, flat-baked bread product that is usually made with a chemical leavener such as baking powder. The exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world, and the meanings in British English and American English are quite distinct...
s in appearance, but scones rely on cold butter for their delicate, flaky texture, while biscuits are more often made with shortening and are crumbly rather than flaky. Also, while scones are served with coffee and tea or as a dessert, biscuits are served more as a side bread often with breakfast.
In
UtahUtah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80 percent of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering around Salt Lake City. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited, making...
, scones are made from a sweet yeast dough, with buttermilk and baking powder and/or soda added, and they are fried rather than baked. They are customarily served with butter and honey.
Other usage
In
Scottish languageScottish language can refer to:* Scots language , a West Germanic language spoken in the Lowlands of Scotland and Ulster, deriving from Middle English...
the verb
scon means to crush flat or beat with the open hand on a flat surface, and "scon-cap" or "scone-cap" refers to a man's broad flat cap or "bunnet".
See also
- Bannock
Bannock is any of a large variety of flat quick breads. The word can also be applied to any large, round article baked or cooked from grain. When a round bannock is cut into wedges, the wedges are often called scones. But in Scotland, the words bannock and scone are often used...
- Biscuit
A biscuit is a kind of small, flat-baked bread product that is usually made with a chemical leavener such as baking powder. The exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world, and the meanings in British English and American English are quite distinct...
- Farl
A farl is a term used in Northern Ireland and Scotland for some roughly triangular flat breads and cakes, traditionally made by cutting a round into four pieces....
- Griddle scone
The griddle scone is a variety of scone which is fried in a small amount of butter on a griddle or frying pan rather than baked.In the Scots language, a griddle is referred to as a "girdle". Therefore "griddle scones" are known as "girdle scones". This usage is also common in New Zealand where...
- Oatcake
An oatcake is a type of cracker or pancake, made from oatmeal, and sometimes flour as well. Oatcakes are cooked on a griddle.- North Staffordshire and Derbyshire oatcakes :...
- Quickbread
- Shortcake
Shortcake is a sweet biscuit , and a dessert made with that biscuit....
- Tattie scone
A potato scone is a regional variant of the savoury griddle scone which is especially popular in Scotland and The Isle of Mann....
- Welsh cake
Welsh cakes are traditional Welsh snacks.The cakes are also known as bakestones within Wales because they are traditionally cooked on a bakestone , a cast iron griddle about 1.5 cm or more thick which is placed on the fire or cooker; most people refer to them though as girdle scones.Welsh cakes...
External links