Cherry and Lemon Scones

Jim is starting to go out to the Sequoyia Nuclear Plant more often and will soon be officing there 5 days a week. While I don't enjoy baking the way I love cooking, I really like to be able to make sweets for him to take and share with the office. I have a long list of goodies I'm anxious to try for him to take to share. Personally, I don't have a big sweet tooth, so this sweet treat tends to suit me a bit better. While these scones do have some sugar, they're not overly sweet. It's a really nice mixture of mild sweetness along with the tanginess of the lemons and dried cherries. They're really so easy to make. This time I doubled the recipe (a single recipe is listed below). However, I did make the double batch in two separate bowls, it's just easier to blend the flour/butter mixture in the smaller quantity. But since I already had all the ingredients out and was measuring, it was no big deal to double it. You can either top the scones with an egg wash/raw sugar recipe, or finish the cooked scones with a lemon glaze. CHERRY AND LEMON SCONES

2 c flour

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 c dried tart cherries

Zest of 2 lemons

2/3 cup buttermilk

CHOICE OF TOPPING:

Egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp milk. Brush unbaked scone with egg wash and then sprinkle with raw sugar. OR:

Lemon glaze: Juice of one lemon and 1/2 to 1 cup of powdered sugar. Depending on how much juice you get from the lemon, you want it a bit runny.

Preheat oven to 400 (last time I made these the temperature was perfect, this time the first batch got too dark so I turned it down to 375 for the second batch and they were perfect) and place rack in middle of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir i the dried cherries and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7" in diameter and about 3/4-1" thick. Cut this circle in half, and then cut each half into 3-6 wedges, depending on high large you want your scones (I do 3-4). Places the scones on the baking sheet. If using the egg wash/raw sugar combine, brush the egg wash on now and then sprinkle with sugar. If not, wait until after baked and cooled to apply the glaze.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and check with a toothpick. Transfer to a wire race to cool.