Almond-cranberry buttermilk scones

The slightly irregular shape, the golden brown tops, the crumbly texture and buttery flavor make scones one of my all-time favorite sweet treats. Scones and biscuits are actually almost the same, except biscuit dough tends to have more butter and scone dough, more sugar. But while biscuits are a staple of savory Southern-style brunch, scones represent something a bit different. They originated in the United Kingdom so they usually appear during teatime, which gives them an air of aristocracy and makes them a sign of leisure. “Cheerio!” they seem to say. Or at least to me.

While making biscuits last month, I had a hard time incorporating cold butter into flour with my food processor due to the large volume of both ingredients and remarked that I should have grated in the butter instead. So this time around, I grated the butter and it was a huge success. All in all, these buttermilk scones are very easy to make and versatile. If almond extract or cranberries aren’t your thang, swap out for vanilla extract and go for another berry or fruit of your choice.

(Yield: 8 scones)

Adapted from this Martha Stewart Living recipe

Ingredients:
2 c all-purpose flour
3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract

Procedure: Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using a box grater, grate in a cold stick of butter. Periodically break from grating to gently fold in grated butter. (Remember to work quickly as you do not want the butter to get warm). The grated butter should be evenly incorporated into the dry ingredients; the mixture should resemble a coarse meal, not a paste. Stir in cranberries.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg and almond extract. Drizzle over flour mixture and stir in lightly with a fork until the dough starts to come together but a small amount of flour remains at the bottom of the bowl. Turn out dough onto a lightly-floured work surface and gently knead dough once or twice to incorporate flour.

Pat dough into a 1″-thick round and cut into 12 wedges.

Carefully transfer scones to prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, lightly beat the remaining egg with a tbsp of water. Brush scones with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy warm.