White Chocolate Cherry Scones

White Chocolate Cherry Scones

adapted from Pam Anderson

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen

1/2 cup dried sour cherries; chopped

1/2 cup white chocolate chips; roughly chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in dried cherries and white chocolate.

2. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth; stir in vanilla.

3. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)

4. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

5. If desired, drizzle with melted white chocolate after the scones have cooled.

Notes:

1. I added a light egg wash to the top of the scones and a sprinkle of coarse sugar before placing in the oven.

2. I have prepared these in the food processor with fabulous result, simply pulse cold butter into the dry ingredients instead of grating the frozen butter.

3. Add in a variety of ingredients to make your signature scone, think chocolate chips, nuts, espresso powder…