oh-so-versitile scones

My mom bought me the Joy of Cooking at a garage sale a number of years ago, and it has been a staple in my kitchen ever since. One of my go-tos is the recipe for scones. It is fool-proof. In fact, the spine of the book is broken on the scone recipe page from so much use. I typically add dried apricots, but this morning I added raisins and cinnamon for our picnic with friends at Riverdale farm. Fresh fruit also works (blueberries, for instance), as do savory ingredients like chives, ham, and cheese (just eliminate the sugar).

The secret to making these scones flakey is to use cold butter (refrigerated or frozen) and to ensure the butter stays chunky- you should see flecks of butter throughout the dough - don't mix any more than you have to to form a ball of dough. I usually do triangular scones, but rounds and squares work equally well.

These are delicious on their own, with butter, jam, and of course, the topping of all toppings, devonshire cream! I think even the miniature Kate Middleton would indulge in these babies!

Scone recipe from the Joy of Cooking, copyright 1964
(Yields approx 12 scones)

2 cups of sifted cake flour (or 1 3/4 cups of sifted all-purpose flour)
2 1/4 tsp double-acting baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup butter, cold and cubed into penny-sized pieces
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream (I use 1% milk and it works just fine)

- Sift dry ingredients together
- Add butter and cut into dry ingredients with two forks or a pastry blender, until pieces of butter are pea-sized and distributed throughout
- Mix eggs, reserve a tablespoon of egg mixture for later; mix remaining egg mixture with milk/cream
- Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix as litle as required to form a ball of dough. Also add any additoinal ingredients at this time if you choose to
- Flatten dough to about 1.5 inches thick and cut scones (in whatever shape floats your boat!)
- Place scones on greased cookie sheet
- Brush with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with salt or sugar
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 450 degrees, or until a skewer comes out clean (scones should be just golden brown)

Enjoy warm or at room temperature!