Mixed Berry Scones – The “Other” Biscuit

While I’m not much of a biscuit fan, I do love scones because they are just a little bit sweet. I consider scones to be the cousin of biscuits. Scones aren’t difficult to make, though this recipe broke tradition a bit. First, the berries were coated with confectioner’s sugar, so that they wouldn’t bleed throughout. Second, butter is incorporated in two different ways. This recipe made 8 scones. I baked half and froze the other half for later. Both times, they turned out perfectly.

So many of my fellow Americans love biscuits, but I much prefer what I perceive is a “cousin” to this Southern specialty.  I’m talking about scones.  I think I prefer scones because they are mildly sweet, and so versatile with all the ingredients that you can add to them.  I’ve made several versions of scones, and shared them on this blog here. 

This recipe was featured on Cook’s Country, and I decided to bake them especially for my husband. My husband is a berry lover, so I was pretty confident he’d like these.  If you are familiar with Cook’s Country Magazine (and the TV show) they are part of the America’s Test Kitchen family.  I like that there’s usually a “twist” in the recipe to make it even better.  Here’s what the publisher had to say,

To keep the (frozen) berries from bleeding into the dough, we tossed the
berries in confectioners’ sugar. To get light and flaky scones, we
discovered that treating the butter in two different ways was key.
First, we processed half the butter until fully incorporated into the
dough. Then, we added the remaining cold butter and processed it until
small clumps remained, creating pockets of steam as the scones baked. A
simple glaze of butter and honey adds a nice finish to the scones.

I have a pastry cutter, but I find that my food processor gets the job done very quickly.  Butter is incorporated in two batches.

Okay, then, I have the dry ingredients mixed in with the butter.  I gently tossed in the berries and added some honey to milk…

The honey butter glaze was okay but I much prefer to brush my scones with milk (or cream) and sprinkle it with coarse sugar, before baking.

 

I really like the “crunch” of the coarse sugar.

 

 

The frozen scones took about 25 minutes to bake. 

 

The scones were bursting with fruit, and perfect for a lazy morning at home.

TASTING NOTES:  Since it’s just the two of us, living at home, I like the convenience of freezing extra portions for later use.  The scones were very tender, baked freshly made and frozen.  I highly recommend trying the brushed milk and coarse sugar, though I wouldn’t overrule the butter honey glaze. Both were good.   Once again, Cook’s Country came up with a winner of a recipe.

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Mixed Berry Scones

While I'm not much of a biscuit fan, I do love scones because they are just a little bit sweet. Scones aren't difficult to make, though this recipe broke tradition a bit. First, the berries were coated with confectioner's sugar, so that they wouldn't bleed throughout. Second, butter is incorporated in two different ways. This recipe made 8 scones. I baked half and froze the other half for later. Both times, they turned out perfectly.

Servings: 0

Author: Debby – www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups frozen mixed berries (I buy mine at Trader Joe's) 8 3/4-ounces
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 15-ounces
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 1/3-ounces
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

GLAZE:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Scones:

• Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425°F.

  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  If your berry mix contains strawberries, cut them in half. Toss berries with confectioners’ sugar in bowl; freeze until needed.
• Combine flour, 6 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor and process until butter is fully incorporated, about 15 seconds.
• Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces, 10 to 12 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in berries.
• Beat milk and egg and yolk together in separate bowl. Make well in center of flour mixture and pour in milk mixture.
• Using rubber spatula, gently stir mixture, scraping from edges of bowl and folding inward until very shaggy dough forms and some bits of flour remain. Do not over-mix.
• Turn out dough onto well-floured counter and, if necessary, knead briefly until dough just comes together, about 3 turns.
• Using your floured hands and bench scraper, shape dough into 12 by 4-inch rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches tall. Using knife or bench scraper, cut dough crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 triangles (you should have 8 scones total).
• Transfer scones to prepared sheet. Bake until scones are lightly golden on top, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Glaze:

• While scones bake, combine melted butter and honey in small bowl.
• NOTE: The second time I made these, I brushed the scones with half and half and sprinkled with coarse sugar. The glaze was okay, but I prefer the crunch of the sugar.
• Remove scones from oven and brush tops evenly with glaze mixture.

  Return scones to oven and continue to bake until golden brown on top, 5 to 8 minutes longer.
• Transfer scones to wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine August/September 2015

Tried this recipe?Mention @afeastfortheeyes or tag #afeastfortheeyesblog!

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