Scones

Scones are great for dessert or breakfast, especially with some freshly whipped and unsweetened cream. Making scones is essentially the same as making biscuits, but with the addition of sugar and cream. This recipe is again based on Joy of Cooking.

Craisin Scones

Preheat the oven to 425, and have a large ungreased baking sheet ready. Whisk together 2 c. AP flour, 1/3 c. sugar, 1 T. baking powder, and 1/2 t. salt. Add 6 T. unsalted butter, cut into cubes. Incorporate the butter with your hands, a pastry blender, knives, forks, however you want (I use my hands), but make sure the butter doesn't melt and turn into a paste. This mixture will look basically the same as when making biscuits.


Stir in 1/2 cup craisins (or dried currants, or raisins, or whatever you want in them). Add 1 c. heavy cream and 1 t. grated orange zest (freshly grated!). Mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Knead the dough against the bottom of the bowl 5 to 10 times. Transfer to a floured surface and pat or roll the dough to about 3/4" thick. At this point I usually cut 2-3" squares and then cut these in half, yielding triangular scones that are 2-3" on the short legs. Put them at least 1/2" apart on the baking sheet, then brush with cream. Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes (keep an eye on them starting around 12 minutes, depending on your oven). Let cool for a few minutes. I like to brush on some pomegranate molasses, which is another one of those products which seems unnecessarily expensive but will last forever. We use it in everything from poultry dishes to salad dressings to desserts. It's great as a glaze on top of pastries.