Scones for Spring

Scones are a popular treat at bakeries and coffee shops now. Although they sound very English, Scones are believed to have originated in Scotland between 1505 and 1515, and are named for the Stone of Destiny (or Scone), the place where Scottish kings were once crowned. We in the U.S. are now enjoying this crusty and tender quick bread as a royal treat with our tea and coffee. Our local coffee shop makes a wonderful scone with white baking chips and dried cranberries, it is my favorite. 

Making scones is similar to stirring together biscuits. They have similar ingredients - flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, butter, and eggs. Scones can be loaded with add-ins for a boast in flavor. 

Some tips for scones are:
* Make sure the butter, eggs, and milk are cold. The cold fat gives baked products flakiness. 
* Work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse sand with some larger particles, similar to pie crust dough. 
* Eggs add richness and help the dough rise. If your recipe doesn't include an egg, just add one and omit ¼ cup milk or cream in the recipe. 
* Juicy fruits can make the scones soggy. I like to use slightly frozen fruit and lightly dust it with flour. 
* Don't overmix, this can make the scones tough. 
* A new tip for me, and I tried it - Freeze the pan of scones for 30 minutes before baking to relax the gluten and enhance the flakiness of the fat. 

This recipe from the National Festival of Breads is good and can be adapted to be savory or sweet. I used ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup white chocolate baking chips. 

Signature Scones 

(makes 12 scones)

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup chopped dried or chopped fresh fruit

2 tablespoons granulated sugar or agave nectar

½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt, any flavor

¼ cup vegetable oil or olive oil

¼ cup 2% low-fat milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Directions: 

1.   Heat oven to 350 degrees

2.   In large bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring just until dough clings together. (Mixture will be sticky; if using fresh fruit, extra tablespoons of flour may be needed)

3.   On lightly floured surface, knead gently for a few turns. Divide dough in half; pat dough into two 6-inch circles. 

4.   Cut each circle into six equal wedges. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Brush surface with milk; sprinkle with sugar. 

5.   Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until lightly golden. The interior will be fully baked but not doughy, just a bit moist. Transfer to a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.