Ingredients:
For Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tabespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (1/2 stick plus 1 tbsp./2.4 oz/68g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 egg
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
For Egg Wash:
1 egg and 1 teaspoon water, beaten
For Topping:
Sugar (I like to use demerara sugar or raw sugar for sprinkling over tops of scones)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F/160 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment papaer.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in chilled butter pieces with pastry blender.
In a medium size mixing bowl combine the heavy cream, vanilla and almond extracts and egg; mix well. Pour into flour mixture, mixing just until moistened. Add chopped cherries (dough will be a bit sticky but will come together once it's been kneaded a little).
Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead 4 to 6 times with floured hands. Pat out dough to a 1/2-inch thick round disk and using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut into rounds.
Brush tops with egg wash then sprinkle with sugar. Place scones on parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove scones from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with clotted cream or double cream and jam.
Makes 8-12 scones.
Photograph taken by Diana Baker Woodall© 2006
Date: February 23, 2006