Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we’ve found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.Rested dough is far easier to shape cleanly than unrefrigerated dough is, and it bakes up noticeably taller, smoother, and with crispier edges. The explanation is simple: As with other doughs, including pizza dough, resting lets scone dough’s gluten relax completely, so that it doesn’t snap back during shaping or baking. Does this mean that from now on we’ll always rest our scone dough? Not necessarily. But it’s nice to know that when we do, our scones will only improve.
FAQs
The Benefits of Resting and Refrigerating Dough for Scones | Cook's Illustrated? ›
Rested dough is far easier to shape cleanly than unrefrigerated dough is, and it bakes up noticeably taller, smoother, and with crispier edges.
Why do you need to refrigerate scone dough? ›This short rest relaxes the gluten, making scones more tender; and cold chills the fat, increasing flakiness. Make scone dough up to three days ahead. Shape into 3/4"-thick disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until ready to cut and bake.
What is the main reason for resting scones before baking? ›The resting of the dough helps to relax the dough so everything remains tender, if you kneaded the dough and baked the scones immediately the insides would be great but the outsides would be tough and chewy.
What is the benefit of refrigerating dough? ›Flour contains naturally-occurring enzymes, which break down as the dough chills, leading to increased browning. The sugar in the dough absorbs the moisture from the flour, causing the cookie to brown and caramelize. Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer.
What is the point of resting dough? ›“Well-rested dough will be fully hydrated, easier to work with, and yield a better texture,” says BA's deputy food editor Hana Asbrink. A bit of patience will reward you with chewy, bouncy noodles. It's a step you just can't skip.
What are the benefits to refrigerating scones overnight? ›But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries. Rested dough is far easier to shape cleanly than unrefrigerated dough is, and it bakes up noticeably taller, smoother, and with crispier edges.
What is the secret to a good scone? ›But frozen grated butter is the real key to success. Like with pie crust, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients to create crumbs. The butter/flour crumbs melt as the scones bake, releasing steam and creating air pockets. These pockets create a flaky center while keeping the edges crumbly and crisp.
Why rest dough in the fridge? ›Putting your dough, whether yeasted or sourdough, in the fridge will help it to develop a better flavour and texture. The longer the dough ferments the more chance of bacteria and enzymes getting to work and unlocking the flavours in the wheat.
What happens if you don't refrigerate dough? ›Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.
What are the benefits of chilling dough before baking? ›Cool down your dough for a tastier, chewier cookie.
As little as 30 minutes in your fridge or freezer can help your cookie brown better, spread less, and develop a richer chewy texture. There's a few reasons why, but one important part is it gives the butter in your dough a chance to firm up before baking.
What is the maximum time for resting dough? ›
The proofing time for bread dough varies based on the dough's makeup (amount of preferment, flour choices, and hydration) and the temperature at which it's proofed. The dough should generally be proofed for around 1 to 4 hours at a warm temperature or overnight (or more) at a cold refrigerator temperature.
Do you cover dough when resting? ›Covering your dough correctly is a crucial step here. For best results, we want a non-porous, tight-fitting cover that will keep the dough from becoming too cool or developing a skin.
Can you knead dough after resting? ›In broad strokes, if a recipe calls for you to stir or knead the dough then let it rise undisturbed, go ahead and stir or knead but only to the point where ingredients are hom*ogeneous and you have a “shaggy mass.” At that point you can step away, returning to fold three to four times in the first hour of fermentation.
Should you chill scone dough before baking? ›Keep scones cold before putting them in the oven: For best results, chill the mixture in the fridge before baking, this will help to stiffen up the butter again, which will stop your scones from slumping as soon as they hit the oven's heat.
Can I leave scone dough overnight? ›If you do prefer to get ahead you can shape the dough into scones and leave them in the fridge overnight, ready for baking the next day.
Why do you need to put dough in the fridge? ›Putting your dough, whether yeasted or sourdough, in the fridge will help it to develop a better flavour and texture. The longer the dough ferments the more chance of bacteria and enzymes getting to work and unlocking the flavours in the wheat.