Super Simple Scones are just that. Super, simple, scones. No cutting in of fat, just let the heavy cream do the work and enjoy tender scones anytime.
The making of Super Simple Scones
These scones are so simple to do, thus the name, Super Simple Scones, because they require no cutting of fat into the dough. The heavy cream does the job for you and in one simple step, you have creamy delicate scones.
What I love about these scones, other than their simplicity, is that you can make them with whatever fruits and flavors you like. Sometimes I put dried blueberries, along with lemon zest, or perhaps some dried cranberries and orange zest.
The possibilities are really endless.
I do find that dried fruits work better than fresh. Fresh fruit, with its juiciness, will change the texture of the final product. So I recommend dried. But they will work with fresh as well. Just not as well. In my personal opinion.
Update: I may have to retract that statement as this recipe turned out beautifully when I made my Fresh Strawberry Cream Scones. I think the trick is to get the fruit dry and toss it into the flour to coat the pieces before adding the liquid. So if trying with fresh fruit, toss then add wet ingredients.
LindySez tip: To keep your nuts fresh, keep them in the freezer.
Your choice of nuts is up to you as well. You can use them, or not. Walnuts? Almonds? Pecans? They all work beautifully. Just make sure they are toasted before you add them. Toasted nuts add so much more flavor than raw nuts. Toasting nuts is really easy to do; put the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake in a 325º oven for about 5 - 10 minutes, stirring once. Do keep an eye on them as they bake, nuts go from baked to burnt very quickly because of the oils in them. Those oils, of course, are good oils and good fat.
Because of the oil in nuts, I keep mine in the freezer. Nut oils have a tendency to go rancid and keeping them in the freezer stops this from happening. And it's completely unnecessary to thaw them before you toast them. Trust me, there is nothing worse than needing nuts for a recipe, and finding them rancid.
Well, maybe there are a few things worse than that, but that's pretty bad.
Super Simple Scones make a great light sit with a glass of champagne brunch item, or a quick grab and go.
So tell Starbucks, not today. I've made my own.
PS: I use this recipe for my recipe for Fresh Homemade Strawberry Shortcake, without the fruits and nuts of course. Although the nuts might still be nice...hmmm
Super Simple Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour King Arthur preferred
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ¼ cup HEAVY cream plus more for brushing
- About ½ cup dried fruit such as dried blueberries, apricots (cut into small pieces), or dried cranberries, or other fruits of your choice
- About ¼ cup toasted nuts I like sliced almonds, but pecans or walnuts work too or to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking pan.
- Sift together, in a medium bowl, the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir in the sugar. Add the fruits and nuts. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Add the cream; stir just until a dough forms.
- Gather the dough into a ball; turn out onto a lightly floured counter or work surface, and fold and kneed about 6 or 7 times…then pat out into about a 10 inch round about ½ inch thick. Cut with a knife or pastry cutter into 8 wedges. Place them on the prepared sheet; brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with some sugar; place in the oven (rack in the middle of the oven), and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until nice and browned.
Maggie
Hi Lindy, Suppose you would like to make chocolate scones or wanted to add a cinnamon and sugar mixture to give a cinnamon roll flavor etc. Just thinking of other combos. Will anything like that work?
LindySez
Hi Maggie, I can't see any problem at all with adding cinnamon or nutmeg or any other flavor of choice to the sugar. I can totally see some cinnamon bun flavor with currants and toasted walnuts...oh, yum. A bit of a powder sugar drizzle??? Powdered chocolate, shouldn't be a problem either, but if you use a unsweetened powder, you may need to adjust the sugar a bit to get the sweet. And of course, it has to be a powder, liquid would make a huge difference. Thanks for opening up the possibilities even further! Cheers ~ Lindy
Uma
Hi Lindy when I searched for scones your simple scones comes at first:) which super easy to find and helpful. I searched in both computer and mobile. Very easy to find! Thanks:)