Scones

Scones are sooo good!!  So dang good!!  Some of you may be wondering where the fried golden pillows of goodness are.  These are not that kind of a scone.  These are English Tea Scones to be exact.  I think you're suppose to eat them topped with clotted cream and lemon curd, and serve them with your afternoon tea.  I don't drink tea.  I"ll admit I tasted it once on accident and it was downright nasty.  And I don't think clotted cream sounds very lovely either.  So I'll eat mine straight up with frosting.  The frosting thing is Hollie's fault.  She started doing that to orange rolls and scones, and now I can't stop.  It makes everything taste better.  Cinnamon chips make them delightful too, but I had to steal those.  Bakery robbery is a capital crime at my house.  It's right up there with swearing.  Don't tell James I stole a baggie of them.  He keeps wondering why his ingredient percentage is a little on the high side at the bakery.   It was so worth it though:)

We make Scones at the bakery and to this day, almost 15 years later, we still get people asking, "What are those cookie things with the fruit in them?"  Scones people. Scones!  I can't even remember the first time I ate an English Tea scone, but I've been smitten for years.   Now that summer is finally here, or at least the calendar says so, I think I'll eat scones every day.   They make me happy, and I'm sure it will make "Squirtly and Dortley" a bit bigger, so maybe I'll only eat them on holidays.  I can't wait until Father's Day!!

Scones

Recipe courtesty of Sara Foster 

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

3/4 c. dried fruit or frozen fruit.  If you use frozen they will bake a bit longer.

Nuts or chips of any sort you want

2/3 - 3/4 cup (160 - 180 ml) buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The scones pictured above have dried blueberries and treacherous cinnamon chips, and them I drizzled them with a glaze of orange juice, orange zest and powdered sugar.  Oh my Heck!!
  They are so good!!!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Or not if you're like me and you don't own any parchment paper, put them right on the pan.  They came off just fine.  

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.  Add your fruit of whatever you want to mix in.  Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.  I think the dough looks too dry, but you'll be happy after they're done.  Don't add extra moisture.  Just trust me.

I scoop the dough out with my hands or a big spoon.  I usually get around 10 scones.  You're patting the dough together because it is dry.  That's ok.  

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Mix a glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar and drizzle over the hot scones.  Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.