Variations: Cranberry • Apple, Cheddar and Fennel • Dark Chocolate, Cherry and Almond

Years ago I was working with a fabulous pastry chef who suggested we add scones to our then scone-less menu. In my best pastry snob voice, I replied that I didn’t really care for scones. She countered that she could make a scone even I would love. She did, and I have been shamelessly using her recipe ever since.

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until evenly combined.

Put cold butter cubes in food processor bowl and add flour mixture, approximately a cup at a time, pulsing a few times after each addition. Pulse until flour mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Transfer back to a large bowl. (Butter can also be cut in with pastry blender, two knives, or fingers).

Add additional ingredients from recipe variations (see below) to flour mixture and toss well with hands. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and heavy cream. In the flour mixture bowl, use a fork to make a well (hollow out a little circular space in the center at the bottom of the bowl).Add cream mixture to well, and using the fork, draw the flour mixture into the liquid bit by bit until just mixed.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold wet (buttermilk and heavy cream) and dry ingredients together. When dough just starts to hold together but is still crumbly and uneven, use your hands to press gently and toss dough to incorporate the last of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix!

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set out a small bowl of flour for dusting hands. With flour-dusted hands, form dough into approximately ½-cup-size balls. Space evenly on trays.

Bake at 375° for approximately 30 minutes, rotating trays midway through cooking time. Scones should be browned and firm in the center; press lightly on top to test. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes on pan. Brush or spread glaze on warm scones and serve.

Makes about 11 scones

Variations

CRANBERRY SCONES WITH PECANS, FRESH ROSEMARY AND MAPLE GLAZE

Into flour mixture, add:

• 1 cup fresh NJ cranberries, poached in simple syrup (see below), cooled and drained (do this a day ahead) or dried cranberries
• 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely broken into large pieces
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• Zest of ½ an orange (a microplane grater works well, or finely chop the zest)
• 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped

To poach cranberries:

In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of sugar with ½ cup of water and heat to boiling.Turn off heat, add fresh cranberries, and stir. Cool, then refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight. (You can poach some extra cranberries, drain while warm, roll in granulated sugar, and dry on a rack overnight for a stunning decorative addition. Put sugared cranberries on freshly glazed scones before glaze sets.)

MAPLE GLAZE

• 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup (Grade B or Grade A dark amber works best)

Whisk together to form a smooth glaze. Add more sugar or syrup if needed. Brush or spread on warm scones.

APPLE, CHEDDAR AND FENNEL SCONES

Into flour mixture, add:

• 1-2 firm NJ apples (depending on size) peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 cup sharp cheddar or other flavorful, firm NJ cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup fennel seeds

For top of scones: Grate another ½ cup of cheese and sprinkle on scones 1-2 minutes before removing from oven.

DARK CHOCOLATE, CHERRY AND ALMOND SCONES WITH KIRSCH GLAZE

Into flour mixture, add:

• 1 cup dried cherries, soaked overnight in kirsch and drained (reserve drained kirsch for glaze)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or coarsely chopped dark chocolate
• ¾ cup toasted sliced almonds

To wet ingredients add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

KIRSCH GLAZE

• 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered ) sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved kirsch

Whisk together to form a smooth glaze. Add more sugar or kirsch as needed. Brush or spread on warm scones.

THE FLAKY TART
145 1st Avenue
Atlantic Highlands
732.291.2555
Marie Jackson, Baker/Proprietor