Author: Nancy Baggett
A bit like biscuits, but a little tenderer and sweeter, these sour cream scones are, of course, perfect with afternoon tea, but are equally fabulous for breakfast or as a snack. Due to the sour cream, they stay moist for a couple days and can be successfully frozen and reheated. But if possible,enjoy them still warm from the oven. Note that my recipe calls for a food processor;this makes cutting the butter into the flour super guick and easy.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus a generous 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cut in bits
- ½ cup sour cream, or light sour cream
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Remove 3 tablespoons flour from the 2 cups and reserve it for dough shaping. Combine the rest of the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in the processor; process 1 minute. Sprinkle the butter over the dry ingredients; process in quick on/off pulses until it is in small pea-sized lumps.
- In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly whisk together the sour cream and 3 tablespoons room-temperature water in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the sour cream mixture to use as garnish, then stir the butter-flour mixture into the bowl with the remaining sour cream; don’t overwork the dough or the scones will be tough. With floured hands and working in the bowl, pat and smooth the dough into a ball; if necessary for easier handling, dust it with just a little reserved flour.
- Evenly sift 1 tablespoon reserved flour out over a square of wax paper or baking parchment. Cut the dough ball in half, then shape each into a ball. Working with one ball at a time, place on the flour-dusted sheet. Sift a little more flour evenly over the top. Press and pat the dough out into a 6-inch evenly-thick round, dusting with a little more flour if necessary. Brush half reserved sour cream mixture lightly over the dough top, then sprinkle with half the garnishing sugar.
- Run a wide spatula under the dough to loosen it from the paper. With a greased sharp knife, cut the dough round in half, then cut each half into 3 or 4 equal wedges; lift them up and place them separated an inch apart on the baking sheet. Repeat the same procedure for the second dough portion.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are golden brown. Serve with butter and a selection of jams, if desired.
- Makes 12 medium-sized or 16 smallish scones.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2016/02/sour-cream-scones.html
3.5.3208