 | | | Almond scones Photo Susie Iventosch | | | | | | (Makes 12 medium-sized scones)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, cold and cut into small 1/2-inch cube pieces
1/2 cup cream (or milk)
4 oz. almond paste*
2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg white for egg wash
1/4 cup sliced almond for topping
1 Tbsp. sugar for topping
*I use the Odense brand of almond paste, which is packaged in a foil tube inside a cardboard box. So, before heating the almond paste with the milk, I cut the paste into small pieces. If you use the canned kind of almond paste, like Solo brand, then you will probably not have to cut it into pieces, because it's not quite as stiff to begin with.)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry cutter, or your fingertips, cut butter into flour mixture until well blended and butter is reduced to tiny pea size pieces.
In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, or a small bowl, place milk (or cream or half & half), almond paste and almond extract. Heat in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until milk is warm and the almond paste is very soft. Remove from microwave and blend with a fork to stir almond paste into milk. It will still be a little bit lumpy -no problem.
With a large fork or spoon, stir milk mixture into flour-butter mixture. Blend well. Form into a ball, and on a floured cutting board, press the ball into a large circle with your hands. The circle should be about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. If dough is too sticky, just dust with a little extra flour before shaping.
Cut into even triangles and place them on prepared baking sheet. (Cut into 6 or 12 triangles depending upon whether you use the full or half recipe. Also, make them larger or smaller as you wish.)
With a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the scones with egg white, sprinkle with sliced almonds and sprinkle with sugar. (White, raw or brown sugar ... whichever you like!)
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until tops begin to turn golden-brown, and almonds are golden brown. Serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container for several days. These scones also freeze well. Thaw and reheat in a warm oven or toaster oven.
Half Recipe
(Makes 6 medium-sized scones)
1 cup flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter, cold and cut into small, 1/2-inch cube pieces
1/4 cup cream (or milk)
2 oz. almond paste
1 tsp. almond extract
1 egg white for egg wash
1/2 cup sliced almonds for topping
2 Tbsp. sugar for topping
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA