Friday, May 4, 2012

Buttery Homemade Scones

Makes about 8 scones
Total time: About One Hour

Ingredients

  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 t baking powder
  • ½ t table salt
  • 12 T unsalted butter; cold, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 1 cup dried currants or blueberries
  • 1 T lemon zest
  • 1 cup heavy cream, very cold
  • 1 egg blended with 1 T water
  • course or granulated sugar such as turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Blend In: butter
  3. Add: fruit, nuts, zest
  4. Add: cream
  5. Cut: (see below).
  6. Brush with 1 egg blended with 1 T water.
  7. Sprinkle with sugar
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Notes
This entire recipe is mixed with your hands. Smash the butter between your fingers as you blend with the dry ingredients. Work quickly. If the butter melts too much, your scones will be mealy.

After you’ve added the cream, knead the dough and pat it into a circleIt will seem somewhat crumbly, but continue to mash it into a circle. With a bench knife, cut into wedges, like a pizza. Once you have cut the pieces and placed then on the baking sheet, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

This recipe can be made the night before, covered, and popped into the oven the next day.

Any nuts and dried fruits, as long as they are chopped into ¼ to ½ inch pieces.