I made Paul Hollywood's classic scones. They don't deserve a handshake, but the buttery flavor was spot-on

Maria NoyenJan 12, 2024, 15:18 IST

Paul Hollywood said his classic scones were approved by a member of the royal family.Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images, Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Paul Hollywood is a famous British TV personality and co-host of "The Great British Baking Show."
Hollywood is an expert on all things baking. I, on the other hand, am anything but.

I've been a fan of "The Great British Baking Show" for years, but I could never see myself having what it takes to be one of the bakers selected to compete in the program.

In truth, I'm as amateur a baker as they come, but that doesn't mean I don't love experimenting with new recipes. And for the most part, my attempts have been successful. From beloved family recipes to desserts celebrities have said are their go-tos, I'm all for having fun in the kitchen, even if things don't always turn out perfectly.

With that in mind, I set my sights on a new baking challenge: Paul Hollywood's classic scones recipe. Here's how it went.

Paul Hollywood, often dubbed the "king of bread," is a legend in the world of baking.

Paul Hollywood on "The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition" in 2019.Mark Bourdillon via Getty Images

Hollywood said his recipe for classic scones is so good that it once got a royal stamp of approval.

Paul Hollywood said his scones recipe won the approval of the late Queen Mother.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images, Georges De Keerle/Getty Images

Besides bread flour, the recipe calls for a bunch of other pantry staples.

Ingredients used for the recipe and for making homemade clotted cream.Maria Noyen/Insider

Before the baking could begin, I preheated my oven and lined two trays with baking paper.

The oven did not reach the specific temperature.Maria Noyen/Busines Insider

With prep out of the way, I kicked off the baking by putting the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Mixing flour and baking powder into a large bowl.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Next, I added the butter.

Adding small chunks of unsalted butter into the bowl.Maria Noyen/Insider

I worked the butter into the dry ingredients using my hands.

A close-up of the butter mixed in with the dry ingredients.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Then it was time to add some liquids and the sugar before mixing everything together until it resembled a giant dough ball.

Add the wet ingredients and turn it into a dough.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

The next step involved tipping the dough onto a lightly floured surface and folding it carefully.

Add the dough to a floured surface.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

To flatten the dough, I used a wine bottle as a makeshift rolling pin.

Flatten the dough using a rolling pin.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Hollywood advises using a "scone cutter" to cut out rounds of dough, but I made do with a mason jar.

The author used a mason jar to cut the shape of a scone out of the dough.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

The last few steps before baking included brushing the scones with a beaten egg and leaving them to rest in the fridge.

Add egg wash to the top of the scones.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

As the scones rested, I whipped up the mock clotted cream, which only calls for three ingredients.

The faux clotted cream.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Once the scones were done resting, I brushed them with another layer of egg wash before popping them in the oven.

The scones in the oven.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

I ended up baking the scones for closer to 17 minutes to try to achieve that "golden brown" hue Hollywood talks about, but it's safe to say I didn't quite get there.

The scones came out in varying shades and heights.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

As disappointed as I was with the initial look of the scones, it's nothing a dust of powdered sugar couldn't fix.

The scones looked more professional once they were dusted with powdered sugar.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

I'm a firm believer in preparing a scone with jam first and then cream.

Adding jam and cream to the scone.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

Visually, my scones might not have been worthy of a Hollywood handshake, but I'm pretty happy with how they tasted.

The scone after the first bite.Maria Noyen/Business Insider

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