Blueberry Scones

These were supposed to be raspberry scones.  But, locally grown raspberries were not to be found on the days preceding this attempt, and I just can't buy fruit from the US in August, of all months of the year. It should be outlawed.  So, I missed the boat when it comes to locally grown raspberries, but blueberries were an excellent substitution, and no less enjoyable (I am not ashamed to admit that I inhaled three of these in one day).

These are deliciously soft and fluffy and not dry and crumbly like so many homemade scones.  These are not tea biscuits.  A scone has three essential ingredients - cream, sugar, and butter.  The original recipe calls for heavy cream and 1 tbsp of orange zest.  I used half and half and omitted the orange zest and I think they turned out perfectly. 

Blueberry Scones
slightly adapted from Ina Garten's recipe and Le Petit Brioche

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cold cream
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
extra cream for brushing the tops
raw sugar for sprinkling the tops

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and mix together using a pastry cutter or your hands until butter is blended in small flakes or pea sized chunks.  Combine the egg and cream and slowly add to the flour and butter mixture.  Continue mixing until just blended. Its ok if there are butter bits - you want to keep those.  It's important that the mixture remain as cold as possible. Add the blueberries to the dough gently - some will smush, that's ok.

After sprinkling flour on your rolling surface, start kneading the dough into a ball.  Roll the dough out until is it about 3/4 inch thick.  You can shape it however you like - round like me, or properly square like professionals.  Cut into quarters once, and then once more - to make 8 triangles.

Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned.