Recipe: John's Scones

John made these delicious scones when we were visiting in the LGB and they are simple and perfect for breakfast--or a mid-morning snack. He made his with the elusive cinnamon chip, but I used walnuts and dried cranberries to equal success. I've altered the recipe to say 'one cup of your favorite mix-in,' which could be dried blueberries, chopped fresh strawberries, pecans, dried apricots, white chocolate....or whatever you can think up. What makes this recipe so simple is that you just drop them right on the cookie sheet and bake--with a little pat on top or not, it's up to you.

Recipe: John's Delicious Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white whole wheat, for a healthy twist.)
1 cup of your favorite mix-in
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into sm. pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat the over to 425 degrees. Sift flour with salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder into a big yellow bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until well mixed.* Add your mix-in and toss well to mix. Sprinkle the milk over and mix gently with a fork until dough just holds together. Drop by spoon onto lightly greased baking sheet. Dip your hand in flour and gently pat down the scones until about 1 inch thick. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

*Alternatively, you can combine all of these ingredients in the bowl of your food processor, then transfer to a big yellow bowl and proceed.

Scones Can Make Monday's Bearable

I made some scones to take to work on Monday. This is one of my favorite recipes, and a favorite of my Pap-pa, so I was a little out of practice. I guess they turned out alright, because when I was out for lunch the custodial staff helped themselves to the delectables. They are picky too and don't just eat anything. I took it as high praise.

Recipe: Apricot-Cream Cheese Scones*
I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but the addition of cream cheese makes the crumb especially light and moist.

2 ¼ cups cake flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, chilled
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, chilled
1 cup diced or slivered dried apricots
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk plus more for brushing (it took about ¼ cup milk for brushing)
2 tsp. pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cream cheese and butter, using your fingers, a pastry blender, a fork or a miser, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.^ Stir in the dried apricots. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, ½ cup buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the liquid and dry ingredients and stir until the dough becomes cohesive. Don’t mix and mix and mix: the more your work the dough, the tougher it will get.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and fold it over several times until it holds together. Pat the dough into a ¾ inch rectangle. Cut it eight rectangles and then cut each of those in half diagonally. Brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Place the scones about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the door closed, and bake for 8 minutes more, or until the scones are light golden brown. Serve warm. (It may take a little longer, just watch and make sure the bottoms don't burn.)

Mangez!

*I've tweeked this a little and the recipe now reflects changes as of June 2009.
^ I use a food processor: combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and give a whirl to combine. Add the cream cheese and butter, then pulse until it resembles meal. Then dump into a big yellow bowl and proceed.