Most of us have had a scone at our favorite coffee shop and perhaps they were a little heavy and dry. But not these scones!!!! They're packed with blueberries and they are light, tender and delicious. This recipe came from the Cook's Illustrated so the method used here is tried and true, even scientific. I suggest reading the recipe through before starting...for example the recipe calls for 2 sticks (16 Tablespoons) of butter but you'll only use 10 tablespoons...I have bolded that detail below. Feel free to serve them with some softened butter or clotted cream. Make these for a treat for your family or friends for a weekend brunch or a extra special grab and go breakfast. They'll love you for them!
Ingredients
16 Tablespoons butter (2 sticks), each stick frozen
1 ½ cups blueberries (washed and dry)
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups flour
½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Preparation
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove half of the wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Grate the unwrapped ends (half of each stick) on large holes of box grater (you will have 8 tablespoon of grated butter). Place grated butter in the freezer. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set saide. Save remaining 6 tablespoons for another use.
- Whisk milk and sour cream together in a medium bowl and refrigerate until needed. Whisk the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen grated butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until butter is thoroughly coated.
-Add milk mixture to flour mixture and fold with rubber spatula until just combined. Using spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured counter. Dust surface of dough with flour and with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in a ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll dough into approximate 12 inch square. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to counter. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4 inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to floured counter and roll into approximate 12 inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from counter. Toll dough into cylinder, pressing to form tigh log. Arrange long seam side down and press into 12 by 4 inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
- Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- To make ahead: After placing scones on baking sheet, either refrigerate overnight or freeze up to 1 month. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and bake 18-25 minutes. For frozen scones, do not thaw, heat oven to 375 degrees and bake 50 minutes or until tops and bottoms are golden brown.
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