Many say that scones are their favorite treat because of the unique dry, crumbly texture. Although I like the idea of scones, they have never appealed to me. Recently, when flipping through a community cookbook titled: Favorite Recipes: Bovey Circle of Serbian Sisters, I came across a recipe called “Audrey’s English Sour Cream Scones.” I decided to give it a try, with a few tweaks, because I wanted to add a different flavor profile. These scones are much more tender than the traditional variety and are more of a cross between a scone and a muffin.
This recipe is a great use for wild raspberries, if you were able to stock your freezer with any. If not, store-bought frozen raspberries will work, but you will need to slightly crush them so they are more comparable in size to the much smaller wild raspberries. Frozen raspberries do not water down the dough as quickly as fresh ones would, plus they help keep the dough cold. Unlike many other baked goods, you want to start with cold ingredients to help scones achieve a flaky texture. See the notes for the original recipe.
RASPBERRY ALMOND SOUR CREAM SCONES
INGREDIENTS: Scones:
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup unsalted cold butter, finely chopped 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold whole milk (divided) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large cold beaten egg 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup cold full-fat sour cream 1/2 of a 12-ounce bag of white baking chips 3/4 cup frozen wild raspberries 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar
Raspberry Ganache:
1/2 of a 12-ounce bag of white baking chips 1/2 cup frozen wild raspberries 1/4 cup granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Scones:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix in the butter with your fingertips until you have pea-sized crumbs. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup milk with the granulated sugar, the egg, and extract. Whisk in the sour cream until smooth. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dough until approximately halfway mixed. Add half of the bag of white chips and the frozen berries. Fold the dough again until only a little loose flour remains. Using a standard ice cream scoop (approximately 1/3 cup), portion 12 slightly scant scoops of dough onto the prepared pans. Brush tops lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and sanding sugar. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Cool completely.
Raspberry Ganache:
Once the scones are cooled, place the remaining half bag of chips into a heat-proof bowl. Place a metal fine mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, add the remaining berries with the granulated sugar. Using a potato masher, mash the berries finely. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat and pour into the sieve, over the chips. Using a rubber spatula, press the berries until most of the liquid has released. Discard the seeds. Wipe off the spatula and stir the chips until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave the glaze at 10-second intervals on high to help the chips melt more quickly. Drizzle the ganache over the scones and let stand until set.
Yield: 12 servings.
Notes:
Here is an adapted version of the original recipe, which was submitted by Meredith Jakovich to Favorite Recipes: Bovey Circle of Serbian Sisters (copyright 1999), on p. 70, for “Audrey’s English Sour Cream Scones.” Ingredients: 2 cups unsifted flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon soda, 1/4 cup shortening, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup raisins, cinnamon sugar or plain sugar for sprinkling. Instructions: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and soda. Cut in the shortening until coarse and crumbly. Stir in the milk, sour cream, egg, and raisins just until moistened. Turn onto a floured board and knead 10-12 times. Divide the dough in half, and pat each into a 6-inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Brush the surface with a little milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or plain sugar. Bake until lightly browned at 350 degrees F. Serve warm with jam, jelly, or butter. Top with whipped cream.
