Scones, Vanilla (Starbucks-like)

By 4brennans

Ingredients

• For the scones:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 small box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix, optional
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• For the frosting
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2-3 tablespoons cream

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter and cut it in using a pastry blender or two butter knives until it forms small crumbs.
Stir in pudding mix. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the vanilla, egg and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Stir gently with a fork until just incorporated. Bring the dough together with your hands.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form into two small rounds. Cut each round into 8 triangles and place each on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each triangle with a little of the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just golden.

Cool before frosting.

To make the frosting: Beat butter and sugar with a hand mixer until crumbly. Beat in vanilla and 2 tablespoons cream. Add more cream as needed for desired consistency. (I made mine thinner, so I could dip the scones in it.) Frost cooled scones with a knife or dip them upside down in the frosting. Let it harden, then serve.


Notes

The pudding mix is optional, it's just insurance that your scones will stay fluffy and soft.

You can use vanilla extract in place of the vanilla beans and/or vanilla bean paste if you wish.