Prune Almond Scones Food

PRUNE & ALMOND SCONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until you can't feel any lumps of butter (or rub in any remaining lumps with your fingers).
• Halve and stone 100g prunes and add them to the pulsed dry flour mixture along with 40g chopped flaked almonds. Add a few drops vanilla extract to the buttermilk before combining with the flour mixture.
• Use a knife to quickly combine everything together to form a dough - stop when it has just combined and don't overmix it.
• Tip the dough onto a floured surface and lightly bring it together with your hands a couple of times. Press out gently until about 4cm thick, then stamp out 6-7cm roundsor cut into squares or triangles (pat the dough into a neat rectangle first to ensure straight edges). Re-shape any trimmings until all the dough is used. Brush the tops with a beaten egg before baking. Spread out on a lightly floured baking sheet and bake for 10-12 mins or until well risen and golden.

DROP SCONES (SO EASY)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease a cookie sheet.
• Mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Cut in butter until fine crumbs; food processor is best.
• Place in large bowl; add cranberries and raisins.
• Beat milk and egg with a fork.
• Add milk and egg mixture to flour mixture; stir with fork until moistened.
• Drop by 12 heaping spoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with the 1 Tablespoon sugar.
• Bake 13 minutes or until golden.
• Cool on rack.

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.

CARDAMOM PRUNE DROP SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Put flour, soda, powder, salt and cardamom into large bowl, mix well.
• In another bowl, beat together sour cream, egg, lemon peel and sugar.
• Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
• Add prunes to flour/butter and toss to distribute evenly.
• Add sour cream mixture and stir with a spoon until a sticky dough forms.
• Drop by 1/3 cupfuls of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
• Cool, loosely covered with a dish towel, on a wire rack.

PRUNE, CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Line a 30 cm tart tin with pastry and prick with a fork. Bake blind in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or until done.
• Meanwhile tip the prunes, demerarra sugar and wine in a saucepan and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes or until the prunes have absorbed the wine. Set aside to cool, then stuff each prune with broken chocolate.
• Cream the butter and sugar until pale, beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
• Stir in the ground almonds.
• Spoon the almond filling into the cooked shell and scatter around the prunes, pressing down lightly. Bake the tart in the oven at 180°C for 20 - 30 minutes or until coloured.
• Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing the tart. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.