Strawberry Scones

I made this back in the beginning of July for a graduation party. I think some guests were expecting something a little sweeter, since they were on the dessert table, but I thought they were just the right amount of sweetness. My brother absolutely loved them and I saw him sneaking a couple extra. I think this recipe would also be wonderful with blueberries!

Recipe adapted from Family Fun

Ingredients

* 1 cup hulled and finely diced fresh strawberries
* 2 cups (8.5 ounces) flour
* 1/3 cup (2.333 ounces) sugar, plus a little for sprinkling
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* A lemon, for zest
* 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon light cream (I used half and half)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, using a few spots of butter or cooking oil to stick it in place. Set the baking sheet aside. I used my mini scone pan.

2. Place the diced strawberries on several sheets of paper towel to absorb their juice. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Zest half of the lemon into the ingredients, taking care to remove just the outermost skin and not the white part.

3. Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry blender until the flour-coated pieces are the size of peas. Add the strawberries, tossing them gently with a fork to coat them.

4. Make a well in the mixture. Blend the 1/2 cup of light cream and the vanilla extract in a measuring cup and pour them into the well. Using as few strokes as possible, gently stir the dough until it forms a ball. Let the dough sit for 1 minute.

5. Clean and flour your hands and dust your work surface with flour. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead it gently three or four times. Transfer it to the large baking sheet and pat it into an 8-inch circle. Using a lightly oiled pizza cutter or a serrated knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges, as you would a pizza. Use a small spatula or pie server to carefully separate the pieces, leaving at least an inch between them. Since I used a scone pan, but just put it in the wells.

6. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of light cream, then sprinkle the surfaces with sugar. Bake the scones until the outsides are crusty and starting to brown, about 18 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then slide the parchment and the scones onto a wire rack to cool for another 20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!