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Scones are a traditional accompaniment for tea. Learn how to bake two delicious types of scones--dried cherry and blueberry scones.
The English teatime ritual is more than just a 5-minute quick sip of tea. It's a time to gather with family or friends, pour tea, eat pastries and sandwiches and enjoy a brief respite from the day's activities. A dessert tray just would not be complete without scones, the traditional accompaniment for tea. Some scones can be savory and biscuitlike; other are more sweet and cakelike. In England, they are often served with Devonshire cream and jam. In America, whipping cream or cream cheese are favored as toppings. Baking scones is not very difficult, but here are a few tips to keep in mind for flaky, tender scones: *If you plan to use dried fruit in your scones (such as the dried cherries in the recipe below), soak them in boiling water for about 5 minutes to rehydrate them. The fruit will be more plump and juicy rather than dry and chewy in the scones. *Cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender (or with two knives if you don't have a pastry blender) makes a flakier scone. *Avoid overworking scone dough, since it will make your scones tough. *For a golden brown exterior, brush the scones with lightly beaten egg before placing them in the oven. Below are two recipes for scones--Dried Cherry Scones and Blueberry Scones. Dried Cherry SconesMAKES 12 SCONES 1/2 cup dried sweet cherries (don't use the dried tart cherries in this recipe)2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 8 ounces low-fat sour cream 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for egg wash Orange Glaze, (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. In a small mixing bowl, pour boiling water over the dried cherries to cover them. Let stand for about 5 minutes; drain well. 3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the drained cherries and the orange zest; mix well. Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside. 4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and egg yolk. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture all at once. Using a fork, stir just until the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients (it's all right if the mixture feels dry to the touch). 5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured board. Quickly knead the dough by folding and pressing it for 10 strokes or until the dough is fairly smooth. Pat the dough into a 7-inch circle. Cut into 12 wedges. 6. Arrange the wedges 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Beat a whole egg in a small bowl with a fork. Brush the beaten egg over the tops of the scones with a pastry brush. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the scones are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Drizzle the warm scones with the Orange Glaze. Serve. Orange Glaze1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In a small mixing bowl stir together the sugar, orange juice and vanilla. Stir in additional orange juice, if necessary 1 teaspoon at a time, to make glaze achieve a drizzling consistency. Use as directed above. Blueberry Scones2 cups all-purpose flour3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. with rack in center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the blueberries and zest. 3. Using a fork, whisk together the cream and egg in a small mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the cream mixture. Stir lightly with a fork just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead about 10 to 12 strokes unitl the dough is fairly smooth. 4. Pat the dough into a 7-inch square about 1 1/4 inches thick. Cut into eight wedges. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the scones from the baking sheet to wire racks to cool. Serve.
The copyright of the article Scones for Teatime in Dessert Recipes is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Scones for Teatime in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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