Variation: To make wedge-shaped scones without a scone pan, line a baking sheet with parchment, and flour the parchment. Make the scone dough, reducing the milk or half-and-half by 2 tablespoons. Scrape the dough onto the floured parchment, and round it into a 7″ circle. Using a bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice it into 8 wedges. Carefully separate pull the wedges away from the center to separate them just a bit; there should be about ½” space between them, at their outer edges. Bake as directed above, for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cut and separate while warm. Yield: 8 large scones. For smaller scones, divide the dough in half to make two smaller circles, and cut into 8 wedges each. Bake for about 25 to 27 minutes, or until brown around the edges and just starting to brown on top. Yield: 16 scones.
Want to make these ahead? Sure, but keep in mind that refrigerated or frozen scones never bake up quite as tall and tender as ones baked immediately. Make the dough, shape it into scones by your preferred method, but don’t top with sugar; wrap well, and refrigerate overnight (or freeze). To bake, remove scones from the fridge or freezer, unwrap, and put on a lightly greased baking sheet (or simply unwrap and leave them in their pan). Preheat the oven to 350°F; the scones will warm up a bit as the oven heats. Brush with a bit of milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake scones until they’re starting to brown, which will be anywhere between 25 and probably 35 minutes, depending on how cold they are when you put them into the oven.
