Raspberry Cream Scones

Recipe from Food to Live By by Myra Goodman
Servings: 6

A few weeks ago I received a new cookbook, Food to Live By by Myra Goodman (the founder and owner of Earthbound Farm, the largest organic produce company in the US). It's a book filled with gorgeous pictures, mouth-watering healthy recipes, and page after page of personal stories and interesting facts and tidbits of useful information and advice... perfect for a novice cook like me. As I started reading the recipes, I was pleasantly surprised that the recipe directions are easy to follow, and the ingredients are all things you can find in the local grocery store or farmers market. I had a hard time deciding what recipe to make first!

Luckily, I didn't have to look past the first few pages to find the winner. Since the NW is blessed with an abundance of local raspberries this time of year, I decided to try the scone recipe. I've never actually made scones, and I was happy to discover that they are quite easy. I was even more pleased when I took the first bite. Crisp on the outside, warm and tender in the middle. I had a hard time stopping myself from eating more than one! They definitely taste best the first day, but that didn't stop my husband and me from eating the entire batch in the next two days! There's no doubt I'll be making this recipe again!

Butter for greasing the baking sheet (unless using parchment paper)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream, plus 2 tablespoons for the glaze
1 teaspoon pure almond extract (I used vanilla extract.)
3/4 cup (from 1 half-pint) fresh raspberries or frozen (unthawed) unsweetened raspberries

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

2. Place the flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt ina large bowl and whisk to combine well. Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingers, blend the butter into the mixture until it is crumbly and well combined.

3. Place the egg, cream, and almond extract in a small bowl and whisk to combine well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just barely combined. Gently fold in the raspberries. Do not overmix the dough or the scones will be tough.

4. Turnout the dough, along with any loose dry bits, onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a disk about 1-1/2 inches thick. Cut the dough with a knife into 6 pie-shaped wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

5. Brush the scones with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

6. Bake the scones until they are golden brown and firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the scones cool for about 10 minutes. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature. The scones taste best the day they are made but, if necessary, they an be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a microwave for about 10 seconds or in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.