This weekend, two of my dearest friends were in town. Cindy came from Washington, D.C. and Ingrid came in from Texas, for a pre-wedding weekend prior to Ingrid’s big day in April. We gathered some other area friends together and threw Ingrid a small shower on Saturday afternoon.
We gathered a variety of meats, cheeses and fruit from the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, so that Cindy could build one of her signature platters of delicious things. Una brought a lovely carrot cake to share. There was champagne and cucumber-scented water. And I made a batch of these scones, mostly as an excuse for eating jam.
Typically when I bake, I do my best to tweak the recipe I’m working with in order to make the final product a bit more virtuous. I’ll often substitute whole wheat pastry flour for all-purpose or try to reduce the amount of fat a bit. However, there are certain occasions in life that deserve indulgent baked goods, unadulterated by whole grain flours and blessed with the amount of butter that god (or Dorie Greenspan) intended. I believe that chatty, afternoon wedding showers are just that sort of event.
This scone recipe comes from Dorie’s book Baking: From My Home to Yours
. Another friend made these scones for my shower (they somehow just seem to fit the occasion) and since have become a dependable recipe for those times when I need something that is quick, simple and so delightful when drizzled with jam.
The only change I’ve made from Dorie’s original recipe is I’ve omitted the currants that she called for, to make them even more of a blank slate (all the better to receive any flavor of jam).
Dorie Greenspan’s Cream Scones
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold butter cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Beat egg and cream together and set aside (a two cup measuring cup works really well here). Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture.
- Pour the egg and cream into the flour/butter mixture and stir to combine with a rubber spatula. When the mixture is totally incorporated, divide the dough into two equal sized balls. Pat them disks about an inch tall. Place them on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Carefully cut each disk into six segments (I used a bench scraper) and separate them.
- Bake the scones for 20-22 minutes, until the are nicely browned. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
I am a bit of a scone freak, I can’t believe I have never seen this recipe until now. These look like my idea of the perfect scone, they are nice and tall with all of the good stuff. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
These look so good! I love a good scone and I’m sure the addition of cream makes them tasty rich!
Am having a tea today, will try this recipe today! I always sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of my scones. Believe me, it doesn’t take away from the jam taste! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful! Clearly I need to make scones and a pot of tea today. Am I blind, or did you omit the oven temperaure in the recipe?
Oops! You’re not blind, I forgot it. You bake them at 400 degrees. Thanks for catching that.
I love scones! Your look beautiful, now I’m craving some with some blackberry jam. Shoot – now I might have to do some baking instead of working today!
Those look incredible. I’m definitely making them this week.
This look fabulous! I just made up another batch of lemon curd. It will be perfect with these scones. Thanks!
YUM!! It is snowing outside right now and these look like just the thing to have this afternoon with maybe some Apricot-Pineapple Jam. Thanks!
Did you know I’ve always wanted to make these? That book is quite possibly my favorite baking book – and I’m sure I have rented it more times than anyone else at my Library… I have to buy it – but I keep putting it off, since it’s always on the shelf. Pity, since people don’t know what they are passing up! I have some cream to use up – I may just have to make your version. (How do the leftovers hold up?)
They hold up FAR better than most scones. They are edible as-is 24 hours after baking, more than that and they benefit by a bit of toasting. You can also freeze them after shaping but before baking and cook them off in a more individual fashion as you need them.
I just made them, and only (virtuously, I may add…) baked 2 – I froze the rest. I’ve never tried baking scones on demand, so we’ll see how that goes!
Scones as an excuse for eating jam — I love it!
We had an afternoon tea themed Oscar night menu (We were rooting for “The King’s Speech”!) and these scones were the perfict addition.
I am making the scones right now. My dough is very sticky, though. Is this normal. I’ve only ever made scones one time, but I don’t remember the consistency.
It should be fairly sticky. If you feel like it needs it, you can always add an additional pinch of flour.
I just printed out your recipe for the scones–I am so happy to have found your website–from Design Sponge, I should say. I will try these after work today, and search for your book!!!
Thank you, love the site!
I remember using the old weck jars tho I never heard them called by that name. I never thought they were made any more…
Made some very disappointing mini scones this weekend and wish I’d remembered to try this instead! Next time.
Can’t wait to bake these to go with your cinnamon pear jam that I’m making this evening! Love the idea of freezing unbaked scones so I don’t overindulge with tea on a gray midwestern day. When baking just a couple of scones, can I use a toaster oven, and will the baking time be shortened in either a toaster or regular oven when baking just 2?
Wow, this post is good, my sister is analyzing such things, thus I am going
to tell her.
absolutely delicious! I added some orange juice, orange zest, and some cranberries to it and it turned out amazing! everyone loved them.