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Cherries and Cream Scones

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma: Cooking at Home"


Recipe Introduction

Laced with tart dried cherries and rich cream and butter, these indulgent, heart-shaped scones are great for a Valentine's Day breakfast or afternoon tea. You can also cut them into rounds or squares for other occasions.

List of Ingredients

◦  2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
◦  ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
◦  1 tablespoon baking powder
◦  ½ teaspoon salt
◦  6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
◦  ⅔ cup dried pitted sour cherries
◦  1 cup heavy cream



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, the ⅓ cup sugar, the baking powder, and the salt. Scatter the butter over the top of the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Using a fork, stir in the cherries and then the cream to form a soft dough. Let stand for 2 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with the 2 tablespoons flour. Gently press out the dough into a round ½ inch thick. Lightly flour a heart-shaped cookie cutter 3 inches in diameter and cut out as many scones as possible. Transfer the scones to ungreased baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Gather together the scraps, press out into a round ½ inch thick, and cut out as many additional scones as possible. Add to the baking sheets. Sprinkle the scones evenly with the 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve right away or transfer to a wire rack to cool. (These scones are best served the day they're baked.)


Makes about 12 scones