Amaretto Cherry Butter & Kiss Me Scones

Amaretto Cherry Butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup Amaretto Cherries

Mince cherries (I pulsed mine a couple of times in my bullet blender), and beat into softened butter. You can use an electric beater for this, or, if you have decently strong arm muscles, a whisk. I molded my butter into heart shapes using this mold, but you can just as easily turn yours out into an attractive container and set it on your breakfast table.

Kiss Me Scones

2 cups sifted cake flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 T. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup Amaretto Cherries

1 egg

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

1/2 cup heavy cream

Heavy Cream

Pink Sanding Sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

In the work bowl of a food processor combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal; empty mixture into a large bowl. Place cherries into the food processor; pulse, and empty/scrape into the large bowl.

Place egg, cream, and almond flavoring into the food processor and pulse until combined. When thoroughly blended, pour it over the flour/cherry mixture in the large bowl and fold until it just comes together. Add 1-3 more teaspoons of cream, if needed.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Cut out hearts with a heart-shaped biscuit cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps together and cut out additional scones.

Brush tops of scones with cream and sprinkle liberally with pink sanding sugar. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving. Serve with Amaretto Cherry Butter.

Makes 8-10