Apricot Almond Scones Recipe 465

Steps:

• Make apricot swirl:
• Simmer apricots and water in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Add brown sugar and Amaretto and pulse to a coarse purée. Add almonds and pulse once or twice to coarsely chop nuts.
• Transfer purée to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• Make scones:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
• Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in cleaned food processor, then crumble almond paste and add to processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons almonds.
• Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and almond extract in a 2-cup glass measure, then reserve 2 tablespoons buttermilk mixture for brushing on scones. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in remaining buttermilk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add apricot purée and stir once or twice to distribute without incorporating fully. (Dough will be wet.)
• Transfer dough with floured hands to a well-floured surface, then turn dough to coat with flour and pat into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Carefully transfer dough to lined baking sheet and cut into 8 equal wedges with a floured knife, leaving wedges together. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firm, about 30 minutes, before cutting.)
• Brush top and sides with reserved buttermilk mixture and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons almonds. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a scone comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 minutes and cut wedges to separate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar in large bowl; mix well. Cut in 1/2 cup butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in apricots. Beat egg in 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough buttermilk to egg to make 1 cup. Stir in almond extract. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir gently until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Brush scones with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Serve warm or cool.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Prepare baking sheet by spraying lightly with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles course meal.
• Add the apricots and almonds into the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
• In a smaller bowl, mix together the yogurt, sour cream, and extracts.
• Cut and fold the yogurt/sour cream mixture into the flour until you can collect the dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface just until it can be shaped. If the dough is too sticky add a little more flour but take care not to add too much as it toughens up the scones. Similarly, over kneading the dough also diminishes the final result.
• Place the dough ball on the baking sheet and spread out into an 8 or 10 inch disk.
• Lightly brush the milk on the top and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
• Using a very long knife (bread knives work well) cut half way through the dough. You are making indentations, not actually portioning the scone. Repeat until the scone has been divided into 8 wedges. (You can also cut into 12 pieces if you want smaller pieces).
• Bake the scones 20 - 22 minutes.
• Best served warm but cold is good too.
• Enjoy!