The Magic Scone Recipe

I love making scones. I've been making scones for years, and the recipe I use is really just a starting point to whatever flavors or ideas I've been wanting to try out. On New Year's Day I baked almond-apricot scones. I figure if I wanted to set a good start to the year to take it in a positive direction, I couldn't do much better than baking scones.

Apricot-Almond Scones

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

5 tsp baking baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 cup butter, cold

1 egg

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

1 tsp almond extract

about 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds

about 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet (I use the wax paper that I take off the stick of butter I am using)

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, spice). Feel free to use brown sugar, or other spices. I found that 1/2 tsp of cardamom was not enough, and I would use more next time.

Cut in butter, either with one of those handy pastry cutter widgets, or two knives.

Beat the egg and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl with the almond extract. Stir this into flour mixture until moistened. Add more milk a little at a time until the dough holds together well, but is not too wet. Add the almonds and apricots and knead into the dough while in the bowl.

Now you'll want to knead the dough just a bit on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half, and press or roll each half into a circle that is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Put the wedges on your prepped baking sheet, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar (you may have to press the sugar a bit into the top to get it to stick).

Bake about 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and the smell is driving you mad. Enjoy with butter, jam, clotted cream or just a glass of milk.