I ABSOLUTELY LOVE BAKING SCONES, IT’S BEEN AWHILE AND I FORGOT HOW EASY IT IS. ANYTHING THAT ONLY REQUIRES ONE BOWL AND NO MIXER IS THE KIND OF SPONTANEOUS BAKING I CAN GET BEHIND. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE MASTERED THIS RECIPE TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO TRY ANY MIX IN I HAVE LAYING AROUND. I MADE TRIPLE BERRY LAST WEEK, IN WHICH I JUST THREW A HANDFUL OF STRAWBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES IN LIEU OF THE MATCHA AND WHITE CHIPS. NO OTHER CHANGES OR COOK TIME. I DID TRY THESE WITH REGULAR MILK BECAUSE IT WAS WHAT I HAD ON HAND. WHILE THE END RESULT WAS ABOUT THE SAME, THE BATTER WAS VERY STICKY TO HANDLE WHICH MADE THE CUTTING AND MOVING TO THE BAKING SHEET VERY DIFFICULT. BUT ALL TO SAY, IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT THE HEAVY CREAM. FOR THE MATCHA ONES THIS WEEK, I PICKED UP SOME HEAVY CREAM AND REMEMBERED THIS IS TRULY WHAT MAKES THEM STICK TOGETHER AND SO EASY TO HANDLE ONCE EVERYTHING ELSE IS MIZED TOGETHER. ZEPPY DEEMED THESE ‘ ALLIGATOR SCONES’ WHICH I THINK IS JUST PERFECT!
FOR THE SCONES:
2 CUPS FLOUR
3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
1 TABLESPOON OF MATCHA GREEN TEA POWDER
1 CUP HEAVY CREAM, PLUS ANOTHER 1-2 TABLESPOONS FOR BRUSHING
1/4 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
1/2 CUP OF WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 400. IN A LARGE BOWL, WHISK TOGETHER THE FLOUR WITH BAKING POWDER, SUGAR, SALT AND MATCHA POWDER (OR SKIP THE MATCHA IF YOU’RE USING FRUIT). CUT THE BUTTER INTO SMALL CUBES AND WORK INTO THE MIXTURE WITH YOUR HANDS TO FORM A COARSE MEAL, LUMPS OF BUTTER WITHIN THIS MIXTURE ARE OKAY. ADD 1 CUP OF HEAVY CREAM AND THE VANILLA EXTRACT. STIR WITH A FLAT SPATULA UNTIL DOUGH STARTS TO FORM BUT DON’T OVER MIX IT! STIR IN THE WHITE CHIPS (OR BERRIES / FRUIT / WHATEVER ELSE YOU DECIDE TO TRY!). TRANSFER DOUGH TO A FLOURED CUTTING BOARD OR COUNTER TOP AND KNEAD IT BY HAND INTO A BALL. PAT DOWN THE DOUGH INTO A THICK CIRCLE. THEN CUT THE DOUGH INTO 8 EVEN TRIANGLES. LINE A BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER AND TRANSFER SCONES TO THE SHEET. LIGHTLY BRUSH THE TOPS WITH THE ADDITIONAL HEAVY CREAM. BAKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-18 MINUTES. SCONES ARE TYPICALLY BEST SERVED THE DAY THEY ARE MADE BUT WILL KEEP FOR ABOUT 2-3 DAYS IN AN AIR TIGHT CONTAINER.
