Scones are a favourite for many people, whether served with jam and cream at home, during a picnic or as part of afternoon tea. But they don’t always turn out well. Even with a simple recipe, it’s easy to end up with a bake that is heavy or chewy instead of soft and airy.

That’s why ahead of National Afternoon Tea Week, which starts on August 11, head chef Kevin Connor from luxury retirement brand Audley Villages shared an extra step he says makes a big difference. He said: “While a scone recipe looks simple, with few ingredients and a short baking time, too often the British favourite falls flat… literally. It’s very difficult to achieve the perfect level of fluffiness.”

The chef explained that the secret is to freeze the dough before baking. Once the scones are shaped and on a tray, cover them in cling film and put them in the freezer for at least half an hour.

“My top tip is to freeze the dough (once rolled into balls) for at least 30 minutes before placing in the oven,” he said.

“The longer your dough is in the freezer for, the better, so if you’re extra organised, I would even suggest keeping it in the freezer overnight.”

Kevin advised starting as normal by mixing the ingredients, handling the dough as little as possible, and cutting the scones by pressing the cutter straight down without twisting.

They should then be placed on a tray, covered and frozen.

“There is no need to defrost them,” he said. “Remove straight from the freezer and place in the oven for a little longer than your recipe suggests. From there you should take out your flakiest bake yet.”

He explained that freezing works because it keeps the pockets of butter in the dough cold and solid until they hit the heat of the oven.

Kevin said: “Don’t overmix or over knead your dough because you want it to have pockets of butter throughout. Freezing the dough ensures that these pockets of butter then remain cold and solid right until they go into the oven.

“They will then steam in the heat, raising the dough more and creating the fluffy layers.”

Freezing also gives the dough time to rest, which can help stop scones from becoming tough.

“Leaving the dough while it’s in the freezer provides time for it to rest, so avoid opening the door, a bit like you would with the oven,” he added.

“The cold temperature slows gluten development, preventing the bake from becoming too tough or chewy.”

Kevin said following this step is “just the ticket to transform dense dough into a delightfully fluffy, light bake”.