I always used to be intimidated by the idea of making scones. I knew that overworking the dough would make it tough, so I would proceed with trepidation, barely stirring the dough together. The result was a shaggy mess on the mixing bowl that I would try and squeeze together with my hands and plop onto the baking sheet, and by some miracle the oven would transform them into something sort of solid and mostly edible. I guess I have gotten enough practice through the years and now I realize just how easy it is to make scones.
It is a simple process of mixing flour and leavening, kneading in some butter with your hands, then stirring in the liquid. The trick is to add the liquid to the with a gentle but confident touch just until it is mixed in, so that the gluten in the flour is not developed. They are quick to make as well, I had these in the oven in under 20 minutes.
This is a great basic recipe, and you can easily substitute other kinds of dried fruit for the cranberries. The egg and the buttermilk make them rich and delicious, the vanilla deepens the flavors and the cranberries add some tang. I drop my scones onto the baking sheet because I’m lazy, but you could also pat the dough into a circle and cut them into triangles for a more traditional shape. This batch makes about 9 scones. They keep well in the freezer for about a week.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into slices
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture. Sprinkle the cranberries over the flour and butter mixture.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Using a wide spatula, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until they are well combined.
- Drop 1/4 cup size scoops of the batter onto the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Leave a Reply