Making scones for any occasion
This feels like a natural starting place. After testing various scone recipes for many years, my mom and I stumbled on a cream scone recipe about 10 years ago and have relied on it ever since for holidays, visits throughout the year, and regular cozy weekend mornings. In anticipation of my upcoming visit to see my parents this past August, my mom made this dough in advance, freezing it for my arrival. Everything then happened so quickly when she got sick that same week. I didn’t know she had made the dough, so it was such a surprise when I found it dated and wrapped in the freezer after she passed. My parents’ 42nd wedding anniversary was only 7 days after her death and my dad and I baked the frozen dough that morning to celebrate their 42 (+6!) beautiful years, eating them on the front porch with coffee just like she would have planned.
We just finished our first Thanksgiving without her. My dad and I agreed that we wanted to honor her by making the full Thanksgiving spread that she has lovingly made for us every year. It stirred up a range of emotions before, during, and after. But I made these cream scones the morning after and felt my mom right there as we ate them.
*Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com
Cream Scones with Dried Tart Cherries (or any dried fruit)
Equipment
- Whisk
- Bowls
- Baking sheet with parchment paper
- Brush for spreading light layer of cream on top (optional)
- Fork
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Heavy cream For mixture
- 1/4 tbsp Heavy cream For brushing on scones right before baking
- 1 Large egg
- 2 cups All Purpose flour Save a little extra for dusting your work surface
- 1/4 cup Sugar Plus a little extra to sprinkle on top of scones after brushing on cream
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Fine salt
- 6 tbsp (3/4 stick) COLD butter Cut up into small pieces
- 2/3 cup Dried tart cherries Feel to explore with other dried fruits here
- Sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together 3/4 cup cream and egg in small bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until broken into small pea-size pieces and texture is coarse/crumbly. Stir in dried fruit. Using a fork, stir in cream mixture until just combined. Don't overwork the dough!
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 6-inch circle. Cut into 6 wedges and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon cream and sprinkle with sugar (suggested). Bake until golden, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
- Enjoy!