One of the most troublesome problems all bakers face is whether or not to reheat a baked good. Reheating can often cause problems, but serving it cold feels incomplete. Today, we will delve into how to best serve yesterday’s scones.
The best way to reheat a moderately fresh scone is to use an oven or a toaster. Microwaves will add unwanted moisture and rob the scones of their crisp, fresh quality. If your scones are bordering on stale, you can also use a skillet with good results.
The rest of the article discusses the pros and cons of attempting to reheat scones and the best ways to keep your scone fresh through the reheating process.
Should Scones Be Served Warm?
While nothing beats a hot scone fresh from the oven, whether reheating a scone is worth it later becomes dicier.
Scones should be served warm, and there are several ways to reheat them. When you have the time and the resources, reheating a scone is generally better than serving it cold.
To back up this assertion, I provide a list of pros and cons to reheating versus serving cold. The choice is always up to you, and the issue is mainly one of personal preference. We encourage you to try your scones both ways to make sure you find your favorite!
The Advantage of Reheating Scones
The idea behind reheating a scone is always to mimic the effect of a freshly baked scone. A warmed scone will melt the butter, jam, or cream it is topped with for a cozy effect. If the reheating process fits the age and needs of the scone, then there is no reason not to try reheating!
The Disadvantage of Reheating Scones
On the flip side, you must remember that no reheating will be as good as the original. If you are in a hurry and do not have time to heat an oven, you would have to reheat the scone in a less-than-optimal way (such as with a microwave) which could ruin it.
That said, reheating scones can be time-consuming and requires equipment that may not be readily available.
The Advantage of Serving Unheated Scones
An unheated scone will be much faster to prepare and enjoy. While it will not melt whatever condiments you put on top, if it is flavorful enough in itself, you will not miss the add-ons. If the scone is only a day or so old, it may even taste fresher than if you were to attempt to reheat it. In the end, a cold or unheated scone is better than no scone.
The Disadvantage of Serving Unheated Scones
If you eat a scone plain and cold, you will not be able to mask its age. If your scones are stale or dry, you will feel it. Moreover, cold scones are more likely to be unappetizing, making anyone ready to give up on their scones if they taste them without trying to reheat them.
How To Reheat Scones
We come now to the crucial issue: how to reheat scones to the best effect. Below are the best ways people have found to reheat scones without compromising their core attributes.
Reheating in an Oven
Oven reheating is probably the best option for your scones, especially if you want to reheat a large amount simultaneously. Many people have succeeded with this method by using moderately fresh scones. There is also broad consensus about the time and temperature of the reheating, so there is little mystery about this approach!
- First, preheat your oven to 300 °F (about 150 °C).
- Place your scones on a baking sheet.
- Warm them in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Check the scones every 2-3 minutes to make sure they don’t get burnt.
NOTE: Check the scones frequently to make sure they are not turning too brown at the edges.
If your scones are not reheating to your satisfaction, you can cut them in half before placing them on the tray. Cutting will reduce the overall reheat time and ensure that the insides are warmed before the outsides are burnt.
Reheating in a Toaster
If you are looking for a fast way to reheat a scone for yourself, reheating using a toaster works just fine! Depending on your type of toaster, you may have to cut your scone in half to make it fit.
- If required or desired, cut your scone in half.
- Put it in the toaster for no longer than a minute on high.
- Enjoy a toasted scone!
Remember to watch the scone as it toasts so it does not burn. Toasting your scone is recommended whenever you want a small snack for yourself!
Reheating on a Skillet
Reheating your scone on a skillet is a bit more risky way to go, but still better than microwaving. This method takes time and does not allow for mass reheating. However, it is the best way to reheat a dry or stale scone, as it will enable you to add moisture back in without making it soggy.
- Cut scones in half if tall.
- Put a pan on medium-low heat.
- Put scones in the pan with a spoonful (15 ml) of water.
- Place a lid on the pan and heat for 3 minutes or until warmed through.
NOTE: Putting the lid on the pan will trap the steam and add softness to a dried-out scone.
While the skillet method works best on older scones, it can be done with any scone if you enjoy it. Because a skillet does require more attention than toasting, I recommend using it sparingly.
Last Resort: Microwave Reheating
If you are at your wit’s end and cannot stomach a cold scone but don’t have enough time, you may have to use a microwave. Just remember that this method can give you a soggy or gummy scone.
This method is not highly recommended due to the undesirable effects it usually has on scones. However, it can be useful when done right. Here’s how:
- Wrap your scone in a moist paper towel.
- Place it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Check the scone and reheat again at 10-second intervals until it gets warm enough for your liking.
- Take your scone out of the microwave and serve.
Final Words
Scones are best served fresh from the oven. However, if you like baking large batches with many leftovers, it is handy to know how to reheat them. That way, you can still enjoy your scones for the next couple of days!
Hopefully, this article has given you some good ideas on how to serve your scones. Whether you choose to reheat your scones or not, we hope you enjoy them to the fullest!
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