Strawberries and Cream Scones

Sorry for the spotty postings of late.  Between taking care of Spot and trying to clean out my freezer/frig/pantry, I've not done a lot of new stuff.  At least since I always bake for Jim's office weekly, I at least get to try something new here and there!  And, FYI, Spot is doing GREAT!!!!  I'm anxious to get her back to the vet and scales and see that she's continuing to gain weight!  She's definitely gained some energy and is eating lots!  It's the most incredible thing and I am grateful everyday to see her precious little smile!

So, here's a new scone recipe for you.  And I am not a fan of strawberries, but these scones are just wonderful.  The berries add a bit more of sweetness generally lacking in scones.  My butter did come to room temp and therefore there was a bit more of a spread in the dough than I would have liked, so be careful and use COLD butter!  But a wonderful flavor and a great accompaniment to a cup of coffee or hot tea.  Enjoy.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM SCONES (makes 12 scones)

Scones:
1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp half-and-half or whipping cream
2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 drops pure orange extract, optional
1 cup diced fresh strawberries

Glaze:
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.  Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper or a Silpat) two baking sheets.  For the scones, in a blender or food processor, process the 1/2 cup diced strawberries with the sugar and half-and-half or cream until the mixture is smooth.  Set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Using a pastry blender, forks, or your fingertips, work in the butter to the dry ingredients until the mixture is unevenly crumbly with the largest crumbs about the size of a pea.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the blended strawberry/cream mixture, the egg, the vanilla extract, and the orange extract, if using.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the dough just barely starts to come together.  Add the cup of diced strawberries, gently folding them in, using your hands, if necessary, to pull the dough together into a cohesive mass.  Take care not to overmix, it will make the scones tough.  It's OK to have a shaggy mass of dough as long as it is holding together for the most part.

Lightly sprinkle your work surface/countertop with flour and divide the dough into two halves.  Take one half and gently press the dough into a thick circle on the floured surface, about 6-7" in diameter.  Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to separate the dough into 6 equal triangles.  Place each scone on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2" apart.  Repeat with the remaining half of dough.  Alternately, you can make smaller scones by dropping tablespoon-ful sizes of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets.

Make the glaze by stirring together the sugar, water, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.  If the mixture seems too dry, add a teaspoon of water gradually at a time until the mixture reaches the consistency of a thick syrup.  Drizzle some of the syrup over the top of each scone.

Bake the scones until they are just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges, 13-16 minutes.  When properly baked, they should be moist (but not gummy) at the center.

Serve the scones warm or at room temp.  The scones can also be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container at room temp.  Just before serving, reheat very briefly in the microwave, or for 5-10 minutes, tented with aluminum foil, in a  preheated 350 oven.