Sunday, October 10, 2010

scones


i bake pastries every weekend.

sometimes it's clafoutis or coffee cake,
but this weekend,
i made a batch of our favorite scones.

scones

ingredients:
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one cold stick)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sliced almonds
1 1/4 cup half & half
{extra half & half and sugar for tops}

directions:
preheat oven to 450°
combine first 4 ingredients.
cut in cold butter (i chop into tiny cubes first).
add cranberries & almonds.
stir in half & half, mix to combine.
turn dough out onto a floured surface.
gently press into a circle (about 10").
cut into wedges (8 larger or 12 smaller).
arrange wedges on baking sheet (i line mine with parchment) so they are not touching. {wink, mary!}
brush the tops with extra half & half,
then sprinkle with extra sugar.
bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

a note about flour:
i use 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
and 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
to bump up the nutritional value
but keep them from being too heavy.

these scones are incredibly adaptable.
you can swap out the cranberries & almonds
{and even some of the half & half}
for almost any other ingredients.

as in:
your favorite fruit
your favorite chopped nuts
chocolate chips & coffee
cheese & herbs

our favorites are: 

coconut pecan
1 cup coconut & 1 cup chopped pecans

cranberry/orange/pecan
{maybe it's the orange zest, but they taste like christmas}
1 cup cranberries & 1 cup chopped pecans
then add the zest of one orange
and swap 1/4 cup of orange juice
for 1/4 cup of half & half

i have started using
raw or turbinado sugar for the tops.
{bigger & prettier crystals} 

my friend, kelly, made these once
and cut them into hearts.

if you make these, please let me know
what combinations you dream up.

5 comments:

Dianne said...

Catie I make these with nuts and raisens. They are the best I have ever tasted...the texture is perfect. BUT....I thought we had to let them sit overnight and bake the next morning. Was I wrong?

catie said...

hi, dianne!
having them in sit the fridge overnight is just so you can have fresh scones in the morning without having to mix it all up.
but there's no NEED to have them sit.
lately, i just bake them on friday night.
i like them best after i have popped them in the toaster in the morning.
so, no need to wait, unless you want to. ♥

martha said...

just pulled your recipe out-will be making them this coming weekend-Kristin is coming back for a wedding!

jill said...

ohhhhhhh! i ♥ your scones! my favs are dried cherries and almonds. hungry for them now...i think i'll have to make some soon! i go in phases with recipes and i haven't made these since the spring. boy - time flies!!

Dawn said...

I need to make a batch of these..I think I am going to try...gueesssss....
PUMPKIN!!

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