Blackberry Scones
"Ahh, Jennet. I thought ye might have been making some of yer scones. I could smell them as I rode up to the house." Jennet brought forward the wooden tray of warm scones taken straight from the oven.
- The Piper & The Prophecy
Scones! I don’t know if there is much better than a good scone. Buttery, dense and light, crumbly in the best way, and a perfect vehicle for extra flavors.
Today we’re making Jennet’s scones with the blackberry jam she was so famous for. And because I’m a dough nerd, I’ll need you to really take a look at that luscious dough with pockets of butter and swirls of jam.
We talked about how blackberry jam is the perfect beginner’s jam, and I’d like to add that scones are a great baked good for beginners and more experienced bakers alike.
Just a few things to remember: keep everything very cold, don’t handle the dough much at all, and make sure you’re hungry.
One other tip from my kitchen pantry to yours, get a jar and fill it with sugar. Whenever a recipe calls for scraping the seeds from a vanilla bean, put the used bean right into the sugar when you’re done. Put it on a shelf and forget about it until it’s time to sprinkle something with sugar. And then be delighted by the scent and flavor of vanilla-infused sugar that you made yourself.
To make;
Blackberry Scones
makes 8 large triangles
4 cups flour, plus 2 tbsp and extra for dusting
3/4 cup cold butter diced
1/4 cup sugar, plus some for sprinkling
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 eggs, plus 1 with 2 tbsp milk for egg wash
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup blackberry jam
I. Coldness is key to scones. Make sure all your ingredients, and even your mixing bowl is cold. Dice the butter and then refrigerate it again. Lightly beat the eggs, add to your cream, and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
II. With your paddle attachment, mix 4 cups plus 2 tbsp flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and mix on low speed until the butter is pea sized. Slowly add your cream mixture and mix on low until it is just blended. Add the jam and mix on low until just barely blended. We want the swirls. The dough will look lumpy, but we want chunks of butter showing.
III. Flour your work surface and dump the dough out. Split in two and knead lightly into two discs about ¾ inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so add just enough flour to shape them. We don’t want to over-mix the dough.
IV. Cut each disc into 4 triangles. Place them on two parchment lined pans. Brush the tops with your egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 18-22 minutes until they turn golden. Mine are usually on the earlier side, so check.
V. Scones will taste great for 3 days in an airtight container. You can keep them unbaked in the fridge for 3 days and bake them to order. They also freeze well. Eat plain or with butter and jam.
~ from the table of Summer crosby hennessy of acorn moon mercantile ~