Sweet Or Nonsweet, Scones Are Delicious Anytime

The growing popularity of coffee houses and of good quality tea goes hand in hand with another trend, the scone.

Most coffee houses sell scones, big, crumbly and biscuit-textured, often formed into a wedge shape. Sometimes scones are on the dry side, which makes them perfect for lavishing with jam.

In Great Britain, where they’re a teatime staple, they’re likely to be served hot with clotted cream and raspberry jam.

Here, they’re often so rich or so full of raisins, almonds, dried apricots, cranberries or other good things that you may just eat them plain.

Nancy Byal of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine offers these tips:

If the recipe says to cut in the fat with the flour just to coarse crumbs, don’t overdo it. Overmixing produces mealy scones.

Chill margarine or butter, if called for, to make it easier to cut the butter into the flour mixture to get coarse crumbs.

Knead the dough just enough to make it hold together. For most recipes, folding and pressing the dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes is enough.

Try to cut out as many scones as possible from a single rolling of dough. Too many rerollings of the dough causes scones to be tough. Also, the extra flour needed for rerolling will cause biscuits and scones to be dry.

If scones are heavy:

Be sure you’re not cutting the fat into the dry mixture beyond the coarse crumb stage.

When adding liquid, stir just until moistened. Do not overmix dough.

If biscuits or scones have a dry, tough crumb, try handling the dough more gently.

If your scones have a hard crust:

Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If the temperature is too high or low, adjust it to the proper temperature.

Check for doneness at the minimum baking time. Scones are done when both the top and bottom crusts are an even golden brown.

Storage tips:

Store in foil or a plastic bag at room temperature for two to three days. Reheat wrapped in foil in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

To freeze, wrap in heavy foil; freeze up to three months. To reheat, place the frozen, wrapped scones in a 300-degree oven and heat for 20 to 25 minutes.

This raisin scone recipe is by Sarabeth Levine, New York City pastry chef and restaurateur. Levine has two Sarabeth’s restaurants in New York and also markets her own line of jams and preserves.

Sarabeth’s Raisin Scones

3 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup raisins (dark or golden)

3 eggs

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack adjusted to lower third of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking spray.

In a mixer bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder and salt with mixer at low speed. Add butter; mix at low speed until almost completely incorporated into flour mixture. Small flecks of butter should be visible. Mix in raisins.

In another bowl, beat 2 of the eggs lightly with the 1 cup milk. Add to flour mixture and, by hand, mix just until smooth. The dough will be sticky; this will make for tender scones.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle with flour and roll or pat out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with 2-1/2 or 3-inch cutter. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Gently press together and reroll scraps of dough, using as little flour as possible. Cut out additional scones.

In small bowl, beat remaining egg and 1 tablespoon milk; brush on scones. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with softened butter and jam.

Yield: 12 to 14 scones.

These non-sweet scones go well with soup or salad.

Rosemary Olive Scones

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats, quick or old fashioned, uncooked

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, chilled

1/3 cup half and half or milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup kalamata or other ripe olives, pitted, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, pepper and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add combined remaining ingredients. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 8 to 10 times. Pat dough into 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges; place wedges on cookie sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 scones.

Nutrition information per serving: 280 calories, 16 grams fat (51 percent fat calories), 300 milligrams sodium.

Orange Scones

From The New Basics Cookbook

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, work in the butter until it resembles coarse meal. Mix in eggs one at a time, then the cream and orange zest. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Roll out dough until it is 3/4-inch thick. Cut out scones using a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven until lightly golden and crusty, about 15 minutes. Remove scones from oven and allow to cool. You can prepare these 1 to 2 days ahead. Keep them wrapped in plastic wrap.

Yield: 8 to 10 scones.

This recipe won $5,000 in the Kretschmer Wheat Germ Healthy Eating Made Easy and Delicious Recipe Contest.

Apple ‘N’ Honey Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup wheat germ

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

1/3 cup margarine, chilled

1 1/4 cups finely chopped apple

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray or grease lightly. Combine first 7 ingredients; cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add combined apple, milk and honey, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 5 to 6 times. Pat dough into 9-inch circle. Combine remaining wheat germ, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Cut dough into 10 wedges; place 1/2-inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm with additional honey, if desired.

Yield: 10 scones.

Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories, 7 grams fat (29 percent fat calories).