The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Air Fryer Fruit Scones
Why Use an Air Fryer for Scones?
Air fryers are versatile appliances that cook food evenly, quickly, and with less oil. When it comes to baking scones, the air fryer creates a beautifully golden crust while keeping the inside soft and tender. It’s perfect for those who want bakery-quality results at home.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Scones
Here are the essential ingredients to make your scones both tasty and fluffy:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the scone, ensuring structure and lightness.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the flavors.
- Butter: Choose unsalted butter, chilled and chopped into chunks, for a crumbly texture.
- Egg: Provides richness and helps bind the dough together.
- Dried Fruits: Currants, raisins, or sultanas add a burst of sweetness in every bite.
- Milk: Acts as a liquid to bring the dough together, creating a soft and pliable consistency.
Pro Tips for Amazing Scones
- Use Cold Butter: Cold butter ensures the scones are flaky. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter.
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough can result in tough scones. Mix just enough to combine the ingredients.
- Chill the Dough: After rolling and cutting the scones, chilling them for 10-15 minutes helps them hold their shape.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Ensure the air fryer is preheated to achieve even cooking.
Flavor Variations
While this recipe focuses on fruit scones, you can easily customize it to suit your taste:
- Chocolate Chip Scones: Substitute dried fruits with chocolate chips for a decadent treat.
- Lemon and Blueberry Scones: Add lemon zest and fresh blueberries for a tangy twist.
- Savory Scones: Skip the sugar and fruit; instead, add grated cheese and herbs for a savory version.
The Art of Serving Scones
Freshly baked scones are best enjoyed warm. Serve them with butter, clotted cream, and jam for a traditional experience. For a savory option, pair them with cheese and a cup of tea or coffee.
Recipe for Air Fryer Fruit Scones
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup dried fruits (currants, raisins, or sultanas)
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- Egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of milk)
Duration:
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add diced butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the egg and dried fruits, mixing well.
- Gradually add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until a soft dough forms.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough to your desired thickness (thin for smaller scones, thicker for traditional ones).
- Use a round cutter to shape the scones and place them in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch.
- Brush the tops with egg wash.
- Air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cook in batches if needed.
- Serve warm with butter, cheese, or your favorite toppings.
Enjoy your perfectly golden, fluffy air fryer fruit scones!
Notes
Milk. I recommend having 60ml/4tbsp of milk for helping bind together your scones dough. Then adding a little at a time. You can always add extra but you can’t take it away.Currants. I used just 50g of currants, you can of course double this if you like a lot of currants in your dough.