Blueberry Scones and Variations
Scones
Scones are “a small unsweetened or lightly sweetened biscuit-like cake made from flour, fat, and milk and sometimes having added fruit.” They are great for a brunch or a morning or afternoon Tea. Scones provide a touch of class all the way around.
One thing I really like about this recipe (besides the fact that people rave about the scones) is that it can be mixed up the evening before and baked the next morning. I put the scones on a baking sheet. In the morning, I let them warm up for 15-30 minutes before baking. You can bake them the day you mix them up if you’d like; you just need to let them cool in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking.
The how to
This recipe calls for shaved butter. You do that by freezing the butter and then shaving or shredding it. In the photo on the left, you’ll see the butter on top of the dry ingredients, just before mixing the two together.
I have substituted chocolate chips for the blueberries. I’ve also added lemon and poppy seeds in place of the blueberries. I recommend Maine blueberries because they are more petite, and I use miniature chocolate chips.
The photo on the right shows a tier of three different types of scones: blueberry, chocolate chip, and lemon poppy seed, served at a Ladies’ Tea one morning. I did them in different shapes for the different flavors: wedges, circles, and squares.
While the original recipe calls for a choice of drizzled frostings, I prefer to serve them plain and use Mock Devonshire Cream, shown here, as an option. You can find that recipe here.
The Recipe
Blueberry Scones and Others
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon you can omit if using chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz. unsalted butter frozen
- 1/2 cup heavy cream + some for brushing the tops
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries unthawed
- Topping: coarse sugar
Instructions
- Whisk dry ingredients (the 1st five) together into a large bowl
- Grate the frozen butter.( I use a potato shredder).
- Add the butter to the flour mixture
- Combine the two mixtures together using your fingers, forks, or a pastry cutter until the mixture is like a pie crust or pea-sized pieces
- Chill in refrigerator while you mix the wet ingredients together
- Whisk the wet ingredients (heavy cream, egg, and vanilla) together into a bowl.
- Carefully pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and add the blueberries.
- Mix together until the mixture is moistened.
- Put flour onto the counter and add the mixture, working the dough into a ball.
- The dough will be sticky.
- You can add more flour or more cream depending on what your dough needs.
- Press into a circle
- Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work dough into a ball as best you can.
- The dough will be sticky!
- If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add some cream.
- Press dough into a circle and cut into 8 wedges.
- You can also cut pieces in circles or squares if you prefer.
- (You will bake circles or squares in less time if the pieces are smaller than the scones).
- Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Put scones 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- [I refrigerate overnight and warm up in the morning for about 15 minutes before baking.]
- Bake in preheated oven at 400 F
- Bake for 15-18 minutes if using smaller circles; for 22-25 minutes if using wedges or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top.
- Remove from the oven and cool.
- Refrigerate left-over scones for up to 5 days or for 2 days at room temperature.
This recipe is used with permission from its original source, Sally’s Baking Addiction. You can find her recipe for drizzled frosting here.
