Tart Cherry and Almond Scones

If you are a scone lover like I am, always searching for the lightest, most delicate, deliciously flavorful recipe, your search has ended.  These scones are the best you’ll ever taste, and perfect for serving your family, sweetie, or special someone (even if that happens to be you!) for Valentine’s Day breakfast.  This is easily done because the dry ingredients need to be made a day ahead.  To give them their delicate crumb, be sure to use nothing other than cake flour.  To ensure that your cherries are fresh and moist, be sure to look for Melissa’s.

Tart Cherry and Almond Scones

2 cups sifted cake flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 3-ounce package Melissa’s dried tart cherries

1 medium egg

1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

1/3 cup heavy cream

Sanding Sugar

Heavy Cream

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter.  Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cherries.  Pour mixture into a Ziploc® bag and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Empty contents of bag into a large mixing bowl.  In a small mixing bowl whisk together egg, cream, and almond flavoring.  When thoroughly blended, pour it over the flour mixture in the large bowl and fold until it just comes together.  Add 1-3 more teaspoons of cream, if needed.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Cut out rounds with a 3” biscuit cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps together and cut out additional scones.

Brush tops of scones with cream and sprinkle liberally with sanding sugar. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving.

Makes 6.

This post is linked to:

Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Clever Chicks Blog Hop

Show and Tell Friday 

Foodie Friday