(Pastry Fairy’s) Scones

A few words on scones. They are decadent, delicious, and decidedly sinful, certainly something to be made only on special occasions. A variety of variations are possible, which are listed at the bottom of the page. The basic recipe I give here is for the ever-popular blueberry lemon scone. The recipe I use is from the delightful Cheeseboard Collective Cookbook, and makes about sixteen scones.

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one lemon, grated
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, undefrosted
• 1 cup butter, cut into slices
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup half and half (or heavy cream for extra richness)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the flour, sugar, powder, soda, salt, and zest. Now cut in the butter. You can do this in two ways. If you are making the scones in the KitchenAid, simply put it on the lowest speed (using the white paddle attachment) and throw in the pieces of butter one at a time until all the butter is cut into the flour. The butter should be the size of small peas. This can be a bit messy and the KitchenAid might spew flour at you, but it requires less muscle work. If you are making it by hand, take out the potato masher, throw all the butter slices in the flour and mash it around for awhile. Fold in the berries carefully so they don’t break, otherwise you will get a grayish scone.

Pour in the liquids and quickly mix them in, taking care not to overmix. There might still be some flour left at the bottom of the bowl. Using the ice cream scooper, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet that you have either greased beforehand or lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

VARIATIONS

• Chocolate Chip: Omit zest and blueberries; add 1 cup chocolate chips.
• Cranberry-Orange: Substitute cranberries for blueberries and orange zest for lemon.
• Maple-Pecan: Omit zest and blueberries; add 1 cup chopped pecans. Combine 1 cup powdered sugar and enough maple syrup to make a thick glaze; spoon over baked scones