Scones

This week, I got suckered in to trying a new scone recipe.  I don't know why I do this.  I suppose I find something that sounds great and think, This just might be the winning recipe in my life!  I must try it!  Usually, all it ends up doing is wasting very valuable ingredients.

I tried these blackberry scones from Savvy Housekeeping, and although they looked pretty, they were a flop.  They tasted more like a muffin that has had the sugar cut from the recipe.  This led me to immediately get a hold of Kelly and ask for her scone recipe out of her Sur La Tables baking book, which we tried when I was visiting last time.  These were amazing and super easy since you can do them in a food processor.  Hardly any mess!

Cream Scones

2 Cups Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 egg for an egg wash or use cream for the top of the scone

Sugar on top!

Preheat oven to 425 and position oven rack in the center. Line baking sheet with parchment. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend well. Add the cold butter and pulse 5 times at 1 second intervals, or until the butter is cut into medium sized pieces. Add the cream and pulse another 20 times or until the dough hold together in small, thick clumps. Use a spatula to scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze the clumps together until they form a cohesive dough. (I always skip that part and just squeeze it in my hands.)

Pat the dough into a circle 7 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Use a chef's knife to cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet spacing them 2 inches apart. 

Brush the top with a thin coating of a lightly beaten egg (or more cream) and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Bake the scones for 14-16 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. 

The "rules" to make up your own scone variation: 

1) To add dried fruits or nuts: Add 1/2 cup. You can add one cup but that will make the scones thicker and will take a few extra minutes to bake. Always cut the butter in first, then add the fruit, nuts, or chocolate pieces, then cream, then blend. 

2) Spices or zests: use between 1/2 to 1 teaspoon and these get mixed in with the dry ingredients. 

3) Oils and extracts: use a few drops for oils and 1/2 to 3/4 for extracts. these should be added with the liquid. 

4) Different types of flours can be used, just substitute 1/4 of the entire flour amount.