06 June 2007

Recipe: Really good strawberry scones

I was reading a Family Fun magazine at a doctor's office last week and saw this recipe for strawberry scones. They looked delicious, so I made some up today and am pleased to report that they are indeed delicious! Annalivia helped to dump the stuff in the bowl, mix it with a fork, brush milk on the top and sprinkle sugar on them.
Here are my revisions. You can find the original recipe here.

Strawberry scones
1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus a little for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
A lemon, for zest
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, using a few spots of butter or cooking oil to stick it in place. Set the baking sheet aside.

2. Place the diced strawberries on several sheets of paper towel to absorb their juice. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Zest lemon into the ingredients, taking care to remove just the outermost skin and not the white pith.

3. Cut in the butter until the flour-coated pieces are the size of peas. Add the strawberries, tossing them gently with a fork to coat them.

4. Make a well in the mixture. Blend the 1/2 cup of cream and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour them into the well. Using as few strokes as possible, gently stir the dough until it forms a ball. Let the dough sit for 1 minute.

5. Clean and flour your hands and dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead it gently three or four times. Transfer it to the large baking sheet and pat it into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Use a small spatula or pie server to carefully separate the pieces, leaving at least an inch between them.

6. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of milk, then sprinkle the surfaces with sugar. Bake the scones until the outsides are crusty and starting to brown, about 18 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then slide the parchment and the scones onto a wire rack to cool for another 20 minutes before serving.

7 comments:

Susie/Nueva Cantora said...

I don't do much baking (more of a cook) but my husband loves scones AND strawberries. So, in case I give it a shot... is pastry flour and bread flour the same thing? thanks.

April said...

Susie, it's not the same. Whole wheat pastry flour is ground much finer. The brand I buy is Bob's Red Mill. I can only find it in certain markets.

I think you could probably use a coarser whole wheat, though. Scones are crumbly, you know? Or you could just use 2 cups of white. That's what it was originally. Hope this helps!

Susie/Nueva Cantora said...

Yep, sure does! And, one of the stores near me has a big Bob's Red Mill section - I've mostly only paid attention for their non-wheat products (my mother-in-law is on a gluten free diet...). Thanks!!

Kalin said...

You should make some of these and bring them down south to your beloved youngest sister.

April said...

What would said sister bring to the table to encourage such an offering?

Kalin said...

Well, I've been working on a scone-themed interpretive dance...

April said...

I'll bring some tomorrow. All I can say is that the dance better be appropriately pointy. Or crumbly.