Sunday, June 19, 2011

Dried Cherry Buttermilk Scones.


I debated between posting this recipe today or the dessert I made for Father's Day, but ultimately, this was the one I decided on since my dad specifically requests them every year.  I don't remember when I first made dried cherry scones, but my dad decided they were his favorite breakfast treat ever since.  Luckily the recipe is extremely easy and delicious!

I honestly don't remember where this recipe came from, it's printed out on a piece of computer paper in my trusty recipe binder with many grease stains dotting the words, but I've made it so many times, I almost don't need it anymore.  The vanilla extract is key here, it gives the scones a lovely aroma and enhances the cherry's sweetness and tartness at the same time, but I've also made them with almond extract as well.  Tough to mess these up :)


Dried Cherry Buttermilk Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

For the (optional) topping:
2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup turbinado or demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and sugar.  Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers until you can see small pea-sized chunks of butter.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla and buttermilk, then pour into the dry ingredients.  Stir with a fork until almost completely mixed, then add in the dried cherries and mix until the dough just starts to come together.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it into a circle, then cut 8-12 wedges, placing them on the baking sheet.

Brush the scones with milk, then sprinkle heavily with the turbinado or demerera sugar and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.  They should be golden brown on top and feel light inside, or a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.  Let cool slightly, then enjoy!


Happy Father's Day, Dad!

7 comments:

  1. They look amazing. I love the flavor of dried cranberries, and I bet they'd be delicious in a scone.

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  2. I love scones, they're my favorite vehicle for jam. Yours look lovely and I love learning about people's "I've made these a million times" recipes :D

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  3. Me too, Anna! Definitely one of the reasons I love reading food blogs :)

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  4. Few things beat a great scone! And these look super delicious.

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  5. Yum! I love scones... and I love this variation :) Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Thanks for the recipe! I made and blogged about them! http://myhappymeals.blogspot.com/2011/08/dried-cherry-buttermilk-scones.html

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  7. This recipe is great. I have tried many scone recipes and the dough is way too soft, or the scones come out dry. This dough was easy to work and the scones were moist and delicious.

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