Cream Scone

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried apricots, diced
grated rind from 2 lemons
1 egg
1 cup half and half
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Egg Wash:
1 tbsp. water
1 egg
2 tbsp. coarse white sugar or turbinado sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Slice the cold butter into 8 pieces and cut into flour mixture until pea-sized. Stir in the dried fruit and lemon zest.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg slightly with a fork. Stir in half and half and vanilla.
5. Pour cream mixture all at once into the flour mixture, stirring with a form to form a soft dough. DO NOT OVER MIX.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead a few times until smooth. Flecks of butter should still be visible.
7. Roll or pat dough into a rough about ¾” thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or into wedges with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
8. Separate and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
9. Prepare an egg wash by beating 1 egg and 1 tbsp. water in a small bowl. Brush mixture over top of scones and sprinkle with coarse or turbinado sugar.
10. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the scones are puffed and golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.