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Old Fashioned Almond Cherry Scones

  • Author: Dana Gerard
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 13 mins
  • Total Time: 33 mins
  • Yield: 12 large 1x
  • Category: Breakfast/Brunch/Snack
  • Cuisine: British
Almond Cherry Scones recipe and helpful photos at diginwithdana.com

Why pay $3 + for one scone at Whole Foods when you can make a dozen Old Fashioned Almond Cherry Scones at home using everyday ingredients? Stir in almonds and cherries or your favorite combination for fast, delicious homemade scones anytime of day.

Ingredients

  • 2+ cups all purpose flour or gluten free flour mix (260 gm)
  • (set aside 2 tablespoons for shaping dough)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (2 gm)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder (10 gm)
  • 5 tablespoons sugar, divided (75 gm)
  • 5 tablespoons COLD butter (71 gm)
  • 1/2 cup cream or coconut cream (120 ml)+ more for brushing the top
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds (45 gm)
  • 1/3 cup dried cherries (65 gm)
  • OR 1/2 cup of one or more of the following: dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, shredded cheese (if using cheese, leave out sugar)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 450 F or 425 F convection. Set aside a sheet pan, lined with parchment or a silpat.
  2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder and 4 tablespoons sugar.
  3. Chop COLD butter into tiny pieces and toss to cover with flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers to gently “cut” the butter into flour until it is the size of peas.
  4. In separate measuring cup, mix together cream + egg (+ almond or vanilla extract, if using) with a fork to break up the yolk.
  5. Pour cream and egg into flour mixture. Use a rubber spoon or your hands to gently combine ingredients to form a sticky dough.
  6. Dough too dry: add in a little cream, one tablespoon at a time.
  7. Dough too sticky: sprinkle in just a little flour.
  8. Spread 2 tablespoons reserved flour onto a clean counter top and dump out the dough.
  9. Toss almonds and cherries or mix ins of choice on top of dough. Gently fold dough over mix ins and use the heel of your palm to press dough away from you. Give the dough a quarter turn each time, just until mix ins are blended. Handle dough as little as possible.
  10. Press dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle, then brush the top with cream and sprinkle generously with a 1 – 2 tablespoons sugar. Use a long sharp knife to cut like a pizza into 12 wedges.
  11. Use a spatula to transfer scone wedges one at a time to baking sheet. Place scones one inch apart.
  12. Bake for 12- 13 minutes, until scones are golden brown.
  13. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Scones are best eaten the same day.
  14. Wrap remainder well and freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Cherry Almond Scones, Mark Bittman,
How To Cook Everything, The Basics