Recipe: the supremely fluffy raisin scones from Fika in Kensington Market

PREP TIME: 15 minutes REFRIGERATION TIME: 24 hours BAKE TIME: 15 minutes Makes 12 to 14 scones

RAISIN SCONES

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp baking soda ½ lb chilled unsalted butter, cubed 200 mL whipping cream ½ cup crème fraîche 1 ½ cup sultana raisins 1 tbsp milk 2 tbsp coarse sugar, preferably Swedish (see tip)

1. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add cubed butter. Mix until flaky. Add cream and crème fraîche. When almost combined, add raisins. Do not over-mix. Cover dough and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Roll out dough until ¾-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a floured glass or cookie cutter. Arrange on a lined sheet. Brush with milk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

TIP Barry uses Dansukker, a Swedish brand of coarse pearl sugar that doesn’t dissolve while baking. Find it at Beaches Bake Shop and Café. 900 Kingston Rd., 416-686-2391.

VICTOR BARRY FIKA Victor Barry, Splendido’s notoriously Type A chef, has finally learned to relax. Last spring, he opened Fika, a casual Scandinavian-themed café in Kensington Market that is as mellow as Splendido is formal. In this recipe, Barry uses whipping cream instead of eggs for fluffiness. The biscuits, which take no time to prep, are so feather light they practically float out of the oven. They’re best consumed lazily with a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper.

Recipes developed by Victoria Walsh. Recipe photography by Raina and Wilson. Illustrations by Aleksandar Janicijevic. Interviews by Meaghan Binstock, Chantal Braganza, Matthew Hague, Peter Saltsman, Courtney Shea and Caroline Youdan.