Cherry Almond Scones

Today is Friday!

In an effort to be more British, I decided to bake scones today. The truth is, I'm trying to get into Bridgerton, really I am. But I feel weird about myself because it just isn't steamy ENOUGH for me. That girl just needs a tan and a taco. Probably these will help (her and me). 

Burnt the first batch. Bloody 'ell! Contemplated my life choices while making a second batch. Do I have to tell you people everything I do in the kitchen?  

Elizabeth's Cherry Almond Scones 

Yield: 16 scones 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Freeze Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour (with 2 minutes to spare) 

My friend Amy says I need more beautiful pictures of my ingredients with houseplants in the background. So, here are all my beautiful ingredients except the almond extract because she's just not photogenic like that exotic Mexican Vanilla bottle. I feel her pain. Also I am determined to grow a fiddle leaf fig tree from a single leaf and this is the photographic evidence of same.

Ingredients (as pictured, beautifully, above)

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup almond flour If you don't have it, use another 3/4 cup all purpose flour.

½ cup sugar

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter, very cold or frozen

2 eggs

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup dried cherries

½ cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted Toast by stirring occassionally for 4-5 min in a pan over low heat. Stir continuously for the final minute and watch closely for burning.#toastyournuts

Icing:

-2 tsp. milk

-1 ½ T. sugar 

Toppings: Butter, jam, or not a thing.

Woah, "INTENSE Cherry" seems a bit aggressive. Did I find a jelly I'm not ready for?

Instructions 

1) Whisk flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter and mix with fork or fingers until incorporated into a lumpy mixture. Stir in almonds and cherries. Put this in the fridge.

2) Whisk eggs, cream, and extracts in a small bowl. Remove dry ingredients from fridge and stir in wet ingredients.

3) Shape dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Flatten into two equal disks, about an 3/4 inch thick.  

4) Brush top of flattened disks with milk and sprinkle sugar on top. Cut 8 equal wedges out of each circle with a wet knife. Place wedges on a parchment-lined cookie sheet with some spaces between them for spreading, and freeze for 30 minutes. I'm nervous you want to skip this step. Don't skip the freeze!

4) Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake, straight from freezer, for 18 minutes. Scones are done when tops are golden and sides are no longer wet-looking. I nearly burnt the second batch as well. I don't recommend using a dark cookie sheet for this. 

See the effort I'm putting in there? Pass the clotted cream. Nope, still prefer Outlander. That's not British. Downton then. Mrs. Patmore would bake these.