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Flaky Red Tart Cherry Scones




Source of Recipe


Sarah Phillips


Recipe Introduction


These scones are made flaky by "cutting in" cold butter into the flour and excluding eggs which would make them more cake-like. Today's trend is to dress up scones with dried fruit, citrus zest, chocolate chips, orange or lemon flavoring, ginger, poppy seeds, herbs, cheese, bacon, or vegetables. Adding fresh berries or fruit to a scone recipe doesn't work because this dough is kneaded and kneading squishes the fruit. This means that the dough gets too wet from the juice.


List of Ingredients




Ingredients:

1/2 c. (1 stick) of unsalted butter, cold
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to top
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. heavy cream or half-and-half, room temperature; measure in liquid measuring cup
1/2 c. dried tart red cherries, dried cranberries or raisins
2 tablespoons sugar and extra heavy cream for brushing tops



Recipe



Procedure

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and refrigerate it for 30 minutes or freeze it for 10 minutes to get really cold. NOTE: I like to grate a frozen stick of butter on the large holes of a box grater and then refreeze. The small cold pieces can be quickly incorporated into the flour mixture for a truly flaky scone. This way, you can skip the "cutting in" step and go right to pressing the butter into the flour with your fingertips in the Step #3.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle the chilled butter over the flour and toss with a spoon. "Cut in" the butter into the dry ingredients with two knives (in a scissor motion) or a pastry blender until the butter pieces are no larger than small peas. With your fingertips press the butter into the flour so it forms large flakes. If the butter becomes greasy, chill until hardened. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the cream.
With a large spoon, mix in the cream until the dough is just moistened and looks shaggy. Add the cherries. Stir a couple of strokes past shaggy until the dough starts to come together. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough just holds together.
Lightly pat the dough into an 8-inch square, 1/2-inch thick. Cut it into triangles and place on an ungreased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush scone tops lightly with heavy cream; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes until puffy, the edges and the tops lightly browned and crusty. A scone should sound hollow when tapped on.
Take the scones from the oven and cool on a wire cake rack. Serve warm.
(Note: For a more cake-like scone, use 1 c. of heavy cream instead of 3/4 c. and work the dough very lightly.

Storage: Scones are best served the day they are made, ideally warm from the oven, but can be reheated at 350°F. for a few minutes. If you have extras, let them cool thoroughly and wrap in plastic wrap, place in an airtight plastic bag or container, and freeze. They'll stay good for about a month. To reheat, let them thaw in their wrapping at room temperature, unwrap, and warm in a 350°F. oven for 5 minutes.