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Tip: Always cut scones with a bread knife

If you are preparing scones by cutting them in half before applying butter and jam, always use a bread knife to do the cutting. It’s temping to just use an ordinary dinner knife (the one you will use to spread the butter and jam) to cut the scone, but this will often result in the scone crumbling into annoying small pieces. This is because a dinner knife is a) too blunt and b) too thick. So it acts more like a wedge, forcing the scone apart, than a blade properly cutting it. A bread knife does a great job if used in a proper sawing motion.

Don’t forget to make a cup of tea to go with the scones!

8 Responses to “Tip: Always cut scones with a bread knife”

  1. u2o Says:

    Would you also recommend this technique for Hot-cross buns?

  2. Grey Alien Games Says:

    Interesting question. I think it depends on how squishy the hot cross buns are. If they are quite squishy you can practically tear them open if you don’t mind a rough surface (or use a dinner knife for a similar tearing/cutting effect). Otherwise if you hold them to cut them with a bread knife they get all squished up and loose their fluffy texture. It is possible to avoid squishing them when cutting with a bread knife if done carefully, especially if the buns are more solid (like wholemeal ones). What do you think?

  3. u2o Says:

    I have found the bread knife method more successful based of the following reasons: (a) When using a bread knife the currents in the bun are sliced and are not ripped out as when using a dinner knife. (b) Butter or if you prefer margarine spreads evenly across the smooth surface of the bun, not leaving you with the margarine pool effect in the craters. This leads to another interesting question. When you have sliced, toasted and spread your butter/marg, is it best to sandwich the two halves together again, making one yummy hot-cross bun, or is it best to eat the two halves individually? Lol

  4. Grey Alien Games Says:

    You raise very good points about using a bread knife on hot cross buns. Having loose raisins can be a pain (but it’s sorta good fun to just eat a couple up), and yes having a rough surface with margarine pooled in the “craters” is just so crass. So I totally agree with you. Not using a bread knife is just basically lazy and also results in a worse experience, and after all, it’s all about experience, otherwise you wouldn’t be eating them in the first place!

    As for making them into sandwich; this could be down to personal preference as I prefer to eat mine as two halves – perhaps so I can enjoy the “toastyness” of them more, or perhaps so I perceive I’ve got more to eat on my plate (I really don’t know why). I have eaten them in the sandwich form before, and it’s not bad or anything, but I feel a bit like I’m stuffing my face.

    Another key thing with hot cross buns is to not over-toast them. They mustn’t be too hard, they must retain their softness, but not so soft that the margarine won’t spread (forget rock hard butter unless you’ve let it warm up to room temperature first). Also you must butter (notice the use of this verb even though I apply margarine) them *immediately* after removing them from the heat otherwise the margarine won’t melt and a cold hot cross bun with unmelted margarine is a total disappointment. Has anyone ever offered you a hot cross bun and brought you a cold one thus making you wish you’d done it yourself? It’s as bad as luke-warm tea.

    Reminds me of one more thing, always toast hot cross buns on a grill on a medium heat (so that they are warm throughout and not just burnt on the surface). Do not try to toast them in a toaster as they will either a) get stuck or b) they will burn on the surfaces because they are wider than bread and thus closer to the hot filaments. Also you have no control over the heat of a toaster, merely the length of time it toasts for.

    Finally, always have hot cross buns with a cup of tea. This leads me onto a general rule about tea and cake/biscuits/buns etc. You must ALWAYS have a few sips of tea left after finishing your snack in order to wash it down. Finishing your tea early and finding yourself with some cake left just proves that you chose too much in the first place, you pig! Generally I find that two hot cross buns (in four halves) is about the maximum you can consume with one cup of tea. Probably three halves is perfect actually but what would you do with the fourth half?

  5. J Says:

    Haha, I must mention that suddenly your site has suddenly turned into a store for Engish scone recipes and bi-metal bandsaw blades from the ads you have. 😀

    I am not British, so I never drink tea with my hot cross buns, toast, scones, biscuit etc. that I eat for a “snack.” I am usually in a hurry. I either just spread the butter on top and scarf it down, or make a hole in the side of said object and insert butter into the cavity. What can I say, I’m American? 😉

  6. Grey Alien Games Says:

    Haha, I just noticed the ads, excellent! 😀

    You American’s have no class by the sounds of how you eat your snacks 😉

  7. cliffski Says:

    I cut my scones with a bat-leth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapons_of_Star_Trek#Bat.27leth)

  8. Grey Alien Games Says:

    haha, good one. Being a mid-level Star Trek nerd, I know what a bat-leth is without the wiki link 😉 The question is what do you shout when cutting the scones? “Today is a good day to dine!”?

    Did you ever see the deep space nine episode where Quark was being remote controlled by Worf in order to beat a Klingon love rival? Classic episode.