Recipe: Raisin Scones*

 Scones!  Who doesn't like scones???  If you know me, that is my go-to treat on a gloomy day.  Scones are not as dense or oily as biscuits (American friends, do you agree?), but they are not buns either.  Many people are surprised at how easy scones can be to make.  There is no need to let doughs raise (no waiting!)

The secret?  You gotta be patient and try this recipe maybe 2-3 times to master it.

Some key things before you start:

- If this is your first time, follow the recipe the first time and then check and adjust results

- Measure things as they are on your first try.

- Modification: you can use craisins or dry cranberries and/or orange peel from 1 orange instead of raisins (the difference?  raisins will give your scones a sweet kick; craisins/cranberries will give it a hint of tartness; orange peel will give it a citrus hint)

- Every oven bakes differently.  Keep that in mind on your second try

**This recipe is based on Ina Garten's recipe, with modifications I have made over the years.  Thanks Ina for getting me started!

Ingredients:

4 cups of all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp regular (table) salt*

1 to 1.25 cups of very cold, unsalted butter, diced

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup of very cold whipping cream (35%)

1 cup raisins, craisins or dry fruit

*if you use other types of salt, check if they tend to be saltier than table salt - you will have to adjust your recipe accordingly

*your butter has to be very cold for this recipe

Directions

1. Measure and dice butter into cubes.  Do not chop them into small pieces.  Chunks are ok! Put them in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

I have hot hands, so after I dice the butter, I place it in the freezer to harden them a bit further before I work them into the dough

2.  In a large bowl (preferably a deep on), combine the dry ingredients:  4 cups of flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp baking powder, 2 tsp. salt.

Combining with a Kitchen Aid stand up mixer:  Use the paddle attachment

Combining by hand:  Use a spatula

3.  Adding FAT:  Take the butter out from the fridge and add ALL the butter into the dry ingredients (#2)

KitchenAid mixer:  Continue using the paddle attachment

Combining by hand:  Either use a fork, or even clean hands to break the butter and attach it.

As you combine the dry and the fat together, the flour will 'attach' itself to the butter.  Your goal:  to combine until the butter is the size of a pea (or a bit larger).  DO NOT OVERWORK THIS.  You are not aiming for a smooth dough, rather, the dough will still be DRY, and you should still see the BUTTER pieces.

4. Wet ingredients:  Combine eggs and heavy cream in another medium size bowl.  Using a fork, mix them until the yolks break and the mixture turns from white to yellow.  You do NOT need to BEAT

5.  Add the wet ingredient mixture (#4) to #3 dough.  Combine until blended.

6.  In a separate bowl, measure the raisins and add 1/2 to 1 tbsp of flour.  Coat the raisins with the flour.

7.  Add #6 into the dough and mix quickly.  The dough will be a bit sticky at this point.

Users of stand up mixers:  This is the end of the use of the mixer.  From this point onwards, you will be using your hands.

8.  Clean a surface (table).  Flour it.  Dump the dough onto it.  Using your hands, make sure all the ingredients are well combined.

9. Preheat your oven to 400F

10.  The dough will be big - if needed, break it into 2-4 pieces so that it is more manageable.  Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough to 3/4 inch to 1 inch THICK pieces.  You can cut them into triangles, squares or use a cutter to cut them into circles.  Surface of these scones should be about the size of an english muffin (about 4 inches diameter)

**You should still see LUMPS OF BUTTER in the cut dough.

11.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

12.  Brush the top of the scones with an egg wash**** and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top.  This will give the scones a pretty and shiny look.

***If you have drips left over (#5), use that mixture as your egg wash.  You can also use heavy cream.  Egg wash:  Break an egg, add 2 tbsp of milk or water

13.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the outsides of the scones look crisp and golden.  Be careful not to burn (the bottoms of the scone burn faster than the top)