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Strawberry Scones

Source of Recipe

From "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"I made scones for a week before I came up with a recipe that would get customers out of their beds in the morning and into the store. This is it. In a world where most scones are like hockey pucks, this is light and moist. We use all kinds of fruit fillings, including raisins, fresh cranberries, and dried cherries. The key to flaky scones is to not overblend the butter."

List of Ingredients

◦ 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
◦ 2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
◦ 2 tablespoons baking powder
◦ 2 teaspoons salt
◦ 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
◦ 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
◦ 1 cup cold heavy cream
◦ 3/4 cup small-diced dried strawberries
◦ 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until *just* blended. Toss the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.

Makes 14 to 16 large scones