Paul Hollywood Thinks He Knows The Perfect Amount Of Baking Time For Scones

When it comes to baked goods, what better person to take recipe advice from than Paul Hollywood? He's been a judge on "The Great British Bake Off" since 2010, and throughout all those years of judging, it's hard to imagine how many scones — the quintessential British baked good — he has actually tried. Hollywood is not only a judge but a baker himself, and he took to his YouTube channel "Paul Hollywood Easy Bakes" to show audiences how to make a proper scone. While doing so, he dropped a key piece of advice on how long a scone should actually be in the oven.

The perfect flaky scone ideally has a glossy golden brown top, fluffy layers visible from the side, and maybe even some blueberries poking out. Best of all, according to Hollywood, bringing this visionary scone to life only takes 15 minutes of baking time. With an oven temperature of around 400 F, it's the perfect amount of time to allow the scones to achieve their ideal color, height, and structure. They become the perfect scones to tear in half and eat with some jam and butter — or clotted cream, as they use in England.

Paul Hollywood is from the U.K., so is his scone — and 15-minute rule — going to be any different from scones in America? The answer is both yes and no. American scones are slightly different than British ones due to the amount of butter in the dough. American scones tend to pack the fat into the dough, while British scones don't incorporate as much since they normally spread butter or clotted cream condiment-style onto the scone. As for the time in the oven, American scone recipes also fluctuate at around 15 minutes at 400 F. For example, the New York Times' recipe instructs 450 F and 9 to 11 minutes, and Sally's Baking Addition instructs 400 F for 18 to 26 minutes. So, Hollywood seems to be onto something.

Another feature of American scones is fancy additions including all sorts of berries, chocolates, and icings. Keeping it simple like the Brits is reliable, but why not add more? If you're ready to give scones a shot in your kitchen, there are plenty of fun recipes to try. There's the lovely buttermilk blueberry scone, which takes everyone's favorite add-in of blueberries and uses buttermilk for just enough moisture. Or, channel autumn through these pumpkin scones that are delicious enough to make year-round. With only 15 minutes in the oven, whatever scone you make will be ready to eat in no time.