My Favorite Scones

Right after pastry school, I apprenticed in an extremely popular gourmet shop in the Hampton's on Long Island's East End.  Summers in the Hampton's can be crazy, to put it mildly, for anyone in the food business.  I wasn't alone in this insanity, I worked alongside a bread baker who made the shops baguettes, breads and muffins in the wee hours of the morning.  It was here in Sagaponack that I had my first scone.

The bread baker made a mean french baguette, but he had a heavy hand with scones and biscuits.  While the scones were pretty good right out of the oven, you could play hockey with them by the time they cooled.  They went fast so there were never any complaints.  But they put me on the hunt to find the perfect scone.

It took me a little over ten years to find what I believe to be the perfect scone.  A crunchy outer crust with a tender interior, a scone of substance but not heavy.  A perfect basic recipe that can be altered with the addition of fruits, nuts, herbs and cheese.  And while the recipe is a winner, technique is what matters here--no overworking the dough.  See my rant on the mixing of Irish Soda Bread last month and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

The secret to the perfect scone is in the mixing.  I rub the butter into the flour with my fingers until it 'feels' right.  It should look like heavy corn meal which tells you that the butter has been incorporated into the flour.  I add whatever I'm adding to the scones--in this case chocolate chips, bananas and toasted walnuts--and then I slowly add in heavy cream.  That's right, cream, not buttermilk.  Cream, having a higher fat content helps to 'tenderize' the scones crumb.   If it's a dry day, you may need to add in a bit more cream.  You're looking for the dough to just come hold together, not be pourable.  It looks like pie dough before it's pulled together into a disc, or better yet, cookie dough just before dropping it onto cookie sheets.

Now my favorite scones have chocolate chips, fresh bananas and toasted walnuts in them.  All I can say is "yum"!  I use just ripe bananas, they're still a little firm and don't mush when mixing.  They stand up to baking, doing all the lovely things a baked banana does when baked; gets all sweet and tender.  A perfect bite of chocolate, banana and walnut is sigh worthy!

 Note the size of the flour and butter mixture in this photograph. 

When mixed, the dough looks a little 'raggedy'.  That's okay, it's perfect.  I use a half cup ice cream scoop or just a half cup measuring cup to scoop up the dough.  I give each scoop a light press, just to make sure that the dough will hold together, because it can blow apart when baking, meaning a side can slip and present a less than perfect baked scone.  It still tastes amazing, but may be the ugly duckling of the batch.

Scone dough ready to scoop

 Scoop of dough ready for sheeting

Ready for a brush of cream and sugaring

When the scones are sheeted, if you want, brush your scones with heavy cream and sprinkle a cap of sugar.  This extra step adds a lovely browned top and a bit of crisp sweetness to each bite. 

Bake the scones in a hot, preheated 425° F degree oven.  Bake them for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your scones.  When finished, let them cool as long as you can wait before serving them.  The scones will be golden brown, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.  Split and add more butter or strawberries and softly whipped cream--yes please--and enjoy!  If there are any leftover scones, store them in an airtight bag or container and refrigerate them.  Warm them slightly and enjoy them again!

Scones

• 3   cups all purpose flour

• 1   tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 cup cold, unsalted butter cut into small bits

• 2 just ripe bananas

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (may need more if dough is dry)

• Additional cream for brushing tops of scones

• Sugar for sprinkling over cream brushed scones

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Add the butter bits and rub the butter into the flour mixture.  The flour should look like cornmeal.  Add the bananas, chocolate chips and walnuts, toss to mix.  Add the cream and turn the dough over in the bowl to combine.  If there is too much dry flour at the bottom of the bowl, add a bit more cream, just to moisten.  Continue to turn the dough until it looks like chocolate chip cookie dough or pie dough--not too wet.  

Using a 1/2 cup ice cream scoop or 1/2 cup measuring cup, scoop the dough and give each lump of scone dough a light squeeze, just to hold the dough together.  Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.  I line them up, about 6 to 8 per sheet, giving them plenty of room.  If desired, brush each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with additional sugar.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, longer if necessary.  Remove and cool slightly.  Serve with butter or strawberries and cream.  These are wonderful eaten just as they are--no embellishment needed.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.   

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