August is often a changeable month, a bit like April or even March. Sometimes it's hot and you know it's summer, but then you look on the ground, as Sweetie and I have been doing on our morning walks, and you see leaves that have fallen and they have the beautiful color markings of autumn. Saw one yesterday that had a wine red center and along the edges, with markings along the ribs in dark leaf green and bright gold. Lovely as a work of Mother Nature's art, but also a reminder that the days are getting shorter. It won't be long before my favorite season is here. In the mean time we'll get foggy days and super sunny days and, unfortunately, smoky days. We aren't anywhere near actual wildfires, but the smoke has been present a number of times in the last week or so.
Normally I wouldn't be baking scones in August. Why heat up the kitchen? The reason this year is that my group, P.E.O., that raises money for scholarships for women, held a tea to honor the scholars. My part in the tea was providing five dozen scones. There were two dozen currant scones, two dozen plain scones, and a dozen mini plain scones. To keep the heat factor manageable, I baked the currant ones the night before and began baking the plain ones at 7 am. The currant ones stay moist because of the fruit, so it was fine to bake them a day early. None of them were expected to be warm. The guest list was over 50 people, so having warm scones for that many would have been something of a miracle given that all the work was being done by volunteers.
The Tea was a success, the scholars were honored, with lots of delicious tea sandwiches and small desserts...and tea...and my scones and strawberry jam. The best part was that there was lots of conversation and laughter. Well, maybe the best part was hearing from the scholars. You had to be there.
So, if you want to make some scones, the recipe is below. These scones are rich from the heavy cream and the butter. If you handle them lightly, you are in for a treat; delicate, tender, almost flaky scones that melt in your mouth.
For this large group, I decided to make the dough ahead, shape them, and then freeze until solid. The frozen scones were stored in Ziploc bags in the freezer and baked from frozen, after I had given them an egg wash and a sprinkle of sanding sugar. Worked like a charm! You give frozen scones another minute or two longer than freshly made ones, but otherwise it's the same.
Cream Scones
makes 12
1 large egg
2/3 cup cold heavy cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
If baking at once: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. If baking frozen, wait until ready to bake, then preheat and prep pan as above.
Stir the egg and cream together. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is from pea-size pieces to pieces the size of oatmeal flakes.
Pour the egg and cream over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don't overdo it. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand a few turns (or knead briefly when you turn it out on the floured board).
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that's about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place it on the baking sheet. (at this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don't defrost before baking - just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)
Bake the scones for 20 -22 minutes, or until their tops are golden. Tops may also be slightly cracked...that's OK.
Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for them to cool to room temperature.
To make Currant Scones:
Follow the Cream Scones recipe, but add 1/2 cup moist currants after you work in the butter, but before you add the egg and cream mixture. Be sure to coat the currants with the flour mixture before adding the liquid mix.
If the currants aren't moist, soak them in juice or whiskey for an hour, then drain off the liquid. Turn out onto a paper towel and dry off excess moisture, then add to the flour mixture.
Follow the above recipe the rest of the way.
Note: You can make variations of these scones easily. Instead of or in addition to the currants, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts. If you like lemon, the plain scones are delicious with the addition of 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or oil.
Instead of currants, other fruits can be folded in gently once the liquid is mixed in. Examples are 1/4 cup diced dried apricots, or 1/2 cup diced fresh hulled strawberries, or fresh raspberries or fresh blueberries.
