My Favourite Scones

Before I had made these my success with scones was here and there. Here being great and there being dry flour lumps. There was a lot of there. I think it was when I tried to make whole wheat peanut butter scones. Just one big no. But then I tried one from Bon Appetit and it was amazing! Then another dud. But then these came along. They have a different formula and it works.

These babies use a lot of whipped cream in place of the butter and the result is the perfect scone. I have made these several times in several different ways. Oh and as if they couldn't be any better, they are easy and can be made ahead of time in the freezer. Awesome? Heck yes.

Cream Scones

From America's Test Kitchen

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a low-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup currants (Variations below)
1 cup heavy cream
 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F. Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse six times. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Stir in currants. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. Add currants and pulse one more time. Transfer dough to large bowl.  Stir in heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Form scones by either a) pressing the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turning the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, cutting the dough into 8 wedges with either a knife or bench scraper (the book’s suggestion) or b) patting the dough onto a lightly floured work surface into a 3/4-inch thick circle, cutting pieces with a biscuit cutter, and pressing remaining scraps back into another piece and cutting until dough has been used up. ** Place rounds or wedges on ungreased baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* I have used raisins instead with or without 3/4 tsp cinnamon added to the flour mix, dried cranberries with or without 1 tbsp lemon zest, or omitted the fruit entirely and added the seeds from a vanilla bean. All have worked and each taste amazing! 

** At that point the scones can be placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and placed in the freezer for an hour. After the hour, or until they are pretty solidly chilled, they can be moved into a air tight freezer bag and be kept in the freezer for a month. Bake at the same temperature for a few extra minutes and do not defrost beforehand.