I’ve worked on my scone recipe for quite a while.

My cooking “process” is to get a good recipe / result and then try to find out just how simple / fast I can make it. For my scone recipe, the evolution took some time but the results are well worth it.

For anyone wanting to make this recipe, my word of advice is to make it *verbatim* until you get a good result and then and only then, start to tinker with it.

• Dry ingredients
  • 2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 3 tablespoons of cane sugar
  • 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• Wet ingredients
  • 1 egg
  • 6 ounces of evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)

include one of the following flavors:

• chocolate pecan scones
  • 4 ounces of good quality baking chocolate (70% cocoa) – very cold (right from the freezer is fine)
  • 2 ounces of good quality milk chocolate – very cold (right from the freezer is fine)
  • 1 cup of pecans
• oatmeal scones
  • 1/4 cup of oat bran
  • 1/2 cup of old fashioned oat meal (not instant)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • a shake of cinnamon/sugar for dusting the top of the scones before cooking
• white chocolate macadamia nut scones
  • 6 ounces of white chocolate – very cold (right from the freezer is fine)
  • 2 ounces of shredded coconut (or can be part of the chocolate when using Lindt’s)
  • 1 cup of macadamia nuts
  • *leave out the sugar

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a food processor (this is what makes quick work of this recipe) add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar (leave out the sugar when using white chocolate to avoid sweet scones), and cold (even froze) unsalted butter. Pulse and then run the food processor until the butter is broken down into tiny bits, but not so long as to heat up the mix and melt the butter. Usually about 10-15 seconds is all it will take.

Pour the contents of the food processor into a mixing bowl.

If working with chocolate and nuts, put the chocolate in a food processor and pulse 10-15 times until most pieces are about 1/4 inch. Add the nuts and pulse 5-10 times. This works best when the chocolate is very cold. They say don’t freeze chocolate but this is a case where frozen works well.

Pour the contents of the food processor into a mixing bowl.

Mix all of the bowl ingredients together.

Add the egg and evaporated milk. Fold the ingredients about 10-15 times. You do not want to over work the ingredients. The batter should just barely pick up the last of the dry ingredients. It should not make a sticky sound. If you follow the ingredient measures closely, you will likely be just a bit dry. Just add a little more milk or water to get the right consistency. Remember, if it makes that sticky sound, it’s too wet.

If you want to add a little kick, you might consider making the chocolate pecan scones, substituting 2 ounces of espresso for and equal amount of milk.

Using the food processor method, the entire prep time should be not more than about 5 minutes. You may find you are ready before the oven is !

You can make drop scones but this recipe works best if you use some form of pan. You can use a traditional scone pan that will yield 8 good sized triangular scones or you may use the newer pan that makes 16 smaller triangles. Non-stick is easiest or you can use a well seasoned cast iron pan hat has been buttered. If you don’t have a scone pane, a non stick muffin pan works well. This recipe will fill either pans that make 6 large muffins or 12 regular muffins.

Cook for 12 minutes at 450 degrees.

Let cool before serving. You will find that scones are softer on the first day and more firm on days two and three. I like them firm and I don’t recall having any last past day three <grin>