DRIED FRUIT SCONES

By LIZABETH

Ingredients

• Apricot Cream Scones
• # Dec 13th, 2006 Adventures in Baking Breads
• Apricot Cream Scones
• 2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 6 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 C. chopped dried apricots OR CRANBERRIES
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 C. heavy cream
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• heavy cream for brushing (optional)
• coarse ground sugar (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, cream and vanilla; set aside.
4. Rub butter mixture into the flour mixture with your fingers (or use a pastry blender) until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the apricot pieces.
5. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture all at once and stir until moistened (The mixture should hold together when pinched).
6. Dump the mixture out onto the counter, gather all the pieces together with your hands and press everything together to form a rough ball. Pat it into a circle, about 3/4 inch thick.
7. Cut the circle like a pie into 8 pieces and place pieces onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Brush scones with a little cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar (optional)
9. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.