Awesome Almond Scones Food

ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (powdered almonds through sugar).
• Add the butter cubes, and massage them into the dry ingredients with your hands until you can no longer discern them; the mixture should look crumbly/sandy.
• Add all remaining ingredients (EXCEPT powdered sugar), mixing with a wooden spoon until they are completely incorporated, but do not over-mix.
• Divide the dough into 2 balls; it will be sticky but use a bit of additional flour to work.
• One at a time, lay each ball on a well-floured surface; sprinkle the top with flour, then flatten with your (well-floured) hands into a circle about 8 to 10 inches and 1 to 2 inches thick.
• Cut each circle into 8 wedges and place on a non-stick bake sheet (use a spatula if needed to facilitate the transfer).
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the scones are puffed and golden in color.
• If desired, dust with powdered sugar when cooled.

AWESOME ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray paper with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, almond paste and almonds in food processor.
• Pulse until mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Put in a large bowl.
• Whisk together egg, egg yolk and 2/3 cup cream until blended. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until dough just begins to hold together.
• Add dough to lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, pat dough to 1/2" thickness.
• Cut scones using a 2" diameter heart-shaped cookie cutter or round biscuit cutter. Gather excess dough and repeat process. Place scones 3" apart on prepared baking sheet.
• Lightly brush surface of scones with remaining 2 tablespoons of cream.
• Bake 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
• Now: I add about 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract or so to my cream and egg mixture. I do not cut these with a cookie cutter and re-roll. I usually just cut them in squares and then into triangles.
• I also freeze them on a wax-paper lined sheet for several hours before baking and add about 3-4 minutes to my baking time.

DRIED CHERRY ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon. Add in the butter and rub with your fingers into the dry ingredients until a coarse meal forms. Add in the cherries and almonds. Add the heavy cream and combine it into the butter flour mixture.
• Form the dough into a 1-inch thick disk and cut it into 6 wedges. Sprinkle each wedge generously with the turbinado sugar. Transfer the wedges to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 18 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Serve warm with Honey Butter.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add all ingredients and whip on high speed until the cream starts to clump and turn light yellow. Continue mixing as butter forms and the buttermilk begins to separate out. Scrape sides and continue mixing until mixture is one lump of butter. Place butter into a clean container or serving dish and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

FRUIT SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
• Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
• Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and sultanas and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
• Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. You may need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.
• Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/140C fan/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh.

SIMPLE SCONES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
• Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
• Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 fan and line a tray with baking paper.
• Add the flour, almonds, salt and butter into a bowl and rub until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the sugar. Pour in almost all the milk and all the almond extract until you have a dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut into 12 using a cookie cutter.
• Put the scones on the tray and glaze with left over milk and cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Serve with a cup of tea!

APRICOT ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar in large bowl; mix well. Cut in 1/2 cup butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in apricots.
• Beat egg in 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough buttermilk to egg to make 1 cup. Stir in almond extract. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir gently until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Brush scones with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Serve warm or cool.