Apricot Cream Cheese Scones

By AzWench

We love the bright flavor and color of apricots in scones; cream cheese lends these added richness. We also love using our Perfect Pastry Blend; its lower protein content yields a final product that's more tender and delicate than that of a higher protein flour.

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups Perfect Pastry Blend, or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream or Neufchatel cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced dried apricots
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon fiori di sicilia
• 1/4 cup milk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more, if needed
• Sparkling sugar for garnish, optional

Details

Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have on hand an ungreased baking sheet, or line with parchment.

2) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3) Cut in the cream cheese and butter, using a pastry blender, fork, a mixer, or your fingers, until the chunks of butter are the size of peas.

4) Stir in the apricots.

5) In a separate container, whisk together the egg, vanilla and milk.

6) Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened.

7) Turn the dough out onto a floured piece of parchment or waxed paper, and fold it over several times, until it holds together. Pat the dough into a 3/4" thick square or circle.

8) Cut the dough into squares, wedges, or diamonds.

9) Brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sparkling white or pearl sugar. Place the scones about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

10) Bake for 18 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown. Serve hot, with clotted cream and jam or raspberry curd.

Tips from our bakers

Scones are great candidates for freezing after being mixed and cut. You can make a batch, freeze them on a baking sheet, and store them in an airtight container, baking only what you need when you need it. Take the frozen scones from the freezer and place them on a baking sheet while the oven preheats. Brush and sprinkle with sugar and bake as directed; the frozen scones will take about 5 minutes longer to cook through.