Sweet Cherry & Almond Scones

From the Blog For Love of the Table

175 to 200 g. (a heaping cup) Bing cherries (or other sweet red cherry)

340 g. (3 c.) All-purpose Flour

1 T. Baking Powder

1/2 t. Salt

1/2 lb. Unsalted butter, at room temperature

100 g. (1/2 c.) Sugar

3 large Eggs, lightly beaten, just until broken up and smooth

1/2 t. Almond extract

80 g. (1/3 c.) Plain yogurt (or buttermilk)

60 g. (2/3 c.) sliced almonds

Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Pit the cherries. Halve and quarter them. Cut the quarters crosswise. Your goal is 1/3- to 1/2-inch chunks of cherries—small enough to be well-dispersed in the dough, but large enough to be discernible chunks of sweet cherry in the baked scone. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs in 5 or 6 additions, beating until incorporated after each addition and stopping to scrape down the bowl once or twice. Beat in the almond extract. Blend in half of the dry ingredients. Add the yogurt, mixing just until blended. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl, followed by the cherries. By hand, fold just until the flour is absorbed and the cherries are evenly dispersed.

Using a 1/3 or 1/4 cup capacity ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, flatten the scones slightly. Sprinkle each generously with the almonds and then the sugar. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard. Cut the parchment in between the scones and place the scones (attached to their parchment squares) in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 weeks.

To bake, place as many scones as you like on a baking sheet (spaced evenly, 2 to 3 inches apart) and bake in the upper third of an oven preheated to 375°F until golden and springy to the touch—about 25 minutes. Transfer the scones to a rack, cool slightly and serve. Makes 12 to 14.

(Adapted from Biscuits and Scones by Elizabeth Alston)

Notes & Variations:

I have made these with as few as 150 grams of cherries (a level cup) and as much as 200 grams (a generously heaped cup). I think 200 grams is the maximum amount of fruit the scones will hold...more than that and they will tend to be a bit damp
Apricot and Plum Variations: Replace the cherries with 6 oz. of fresh apricots or plums (2 or 3)—pitted, sliced and then cut into a 1/3- to 1/2-inch dice. If you like, replace the almond extract with 1 t. vanilla. Top the apricot scones with finely chopped pistachios and the plum with lightly toasted (and skinned) chopped hazelnuts.

http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2014/07/sweet-cherry-almond-scones.html

As published on forloveofthetable.com