Cream Scones

Cream Scones

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup of your choice of add-ins (see below)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar, for glazing (if adding cinnamon to the scones, add some cinnamon to the sugar and sprinkle over scones before baking)

Add-Ins:
dried fruit, your choice (raisins, cranberries, diced apricots, currants, etc)
OR
chocolate chips, See note*
OR
toasted nuts, See note**
1 tablespoon orange zest, See note***
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, See note****

Icing:, optional
1 cup confectioner's sugar
cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Use an ungreased baking sheet.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl, stir with a fork to mix well. Add your choice of dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts. Still using a fork, stir in the cream and mix until the dough holds together in a rough mass (the dough will be sticky).

Lightly flour a board and transfer the dough to it. Knead the dough 8 or 9 times. Pat dough into 2 circles about 6 inches round. For the glaze, spread the butter over the tops and sides of the circles of dough and sprinkle with the sugar on top. Cut each circle into 8 wedges and place each piece on the baking sheet, allowing about an inch between pieces.

Bake for about 11 minutes, or until golden brown.

Icing:
Combine the confectioner's sugar with enough cream so it drizzles from the spoon and drizzle over the warm scones, if desired.

Note* If using chocolate chips, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream before adding to the dry ingredients.

Note** If using toasted nuts, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the cream before adding to the dry ingredients, depending on which nut you use.

Note***Add the orange zest along with any of the add-ins, for added flavor.

Note****Add cinnamon along with the dry ingredients, if desired (especially good with raisins.)

Makes 16 scones

In the photo: Left is chocolate chip scones using mini-chips, and drizzled with icing, right is cinnamon raisin scones.

Please don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients...they don't ALL go into each batch of scones.  I just listed a bunch of options.