Need a Quick Dessert? Make Scones

I am very fortunate to have gotten this recipe from a critique that I did for one of my fellow writers in the Pittsburgh East Scribes writing group.

She shared a story with us about hosting an afternoon tea with scones for the Daughters of the British Empire. Her original attempt at scones wasn’t well received. She then set out to make the best scones. Many recipes were tried, some better than others, but still she hadn’t perfected the recipe.

As luck would have it, she met an English couple and they gave her this recipe. And they are good. So, thank you, Karen, for sharing this delicious, quick, and easy scone recipe.  

What? You don’t know what scones are? I can help with that. Scones are biscuit-like pastries or quick breads. They can be savory or sweet and are usually eaten for breakfast, but in my house, we eat any time. The perfect scones have a golden brown top, and a light and soft interior.

Of Scottish origin, they became popular and an essential part of the fashionable ritual of taking tea in England when Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788 – 1861), one late afternoon, ordered the servants to bring tea and some sweet breads, which included scones. She was so delighted by this, that she ordered it every afternoon and what now has become an English tradition is the “Afternoon Tea Time” (precisely at 4:00 p.m.). They are still served daily with the traditional clotted cream topping in Britain. (reference: http://www.foodreference.com/html/a-scone-history.html)

You may think that scones are difficult to make, but the recipe is simple, and you probably have the ingredients you need to make them.

I have made scones several times since I got the recipe, each time switching the fruit, sometimes eliminating the fruit altogether and using nuts—any nut that I had. The last batch I made had salted macadamia nuts. That satisfies the salty sweet craving in one bite.

This recipe can also be made savory. Just swap out the chocolate and fruit for cheese and scallions. Really, the possibilities are endless. Experiment, you will be glad you did.

Once again, thank you, Karen, for this delicious easy recipe.

Scones

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1-1/2 cup heavy cream
½ cup dried fruit (apricots, cherries, cranberries)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 line baking sheet with parchment paper

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add chocolate and fruit. Make a well in center and add cream and vanilla. Stir with a fork until it holds together (add more cream if needed) dough will be sticky. From into 2 balls of equal size and knead each ball about ten times. Pat each ball into a circle, about 6 or 7 inches and cut into 6 pie shaped wedges. (For mini scones, make three balls)

Place wedges on lined parchment and brush tops with cream, sprinkle on some sugar. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.