Cloud Scones Recipes

Steps:

• 1. These are the perfect "clean slate" scones. Let your palate guide you...Mocha Scone (1 t espresso powder & 1/4 c mini chips), Orange (or lemon)-Poppyseed (zest of 1 fruit & 1 T poppyseed), Orange-Cranberry (orange zest & 1/3 c dried cranberries). Savory scones...Parmesan & Black pepper (1/4 c finely grated cheese & 1/4-1/2 t fresh black pepper), Bacon, Cheddar & Chive (4 stripes crisp bacon crumbled, 2 T grated cheddar, 1 T chopped chives), Jalapeño-Cheddar (1 chopped jalapeño & 2 T cheddar). Don't be afraid to play with it and find your favorite(s). Enjoy! In a medium size bowl combine flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
• 2. Cut in VERY cold / frozen butter to flour mixture. ( I use large hole grater.). Combine using your hands.
• 3. Add sugar to dough (use 1/4 c sugar for savory scones, up sugar to 1/3 c for sweet scones).
• 4. Add heavy cream to dough. Time to get your hands dirty! (Pictured: Mocha Scones) Gather dough and knead, fold & quarter turn. Do this 4 times. You want layers but don't overwork dough.
• 5. Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and roll or pat to circle ~ 1 1/2" thick. (Pictured: Mocha Scones) Chill 20-30 min. Heat oven 425.
• 6. Brush scones with remaining 1 T heavy cream. Cut in 12 wedges. Transfer parchment paper with scones to baking sheet, Allow wedges to touch slightly for a more tender scone. Bake at 425 for 12-14 min until tops are lightly brown. (Pictured: Mocha Scones dusted with espresso powder & turbinado sugar)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
• Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
• Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.