Simply Scones

 I picked up this little cookbook on a sale table at a book store - as I do many of my favorite finds.  The pages are falling out, and have butter splotches on those tried and true recipes that I use over and over again.  Currently available at www.amazon.com, this is my go-to scone book.

After picking another bounty of Mt. Emily huckleberries, I knew I had to add them to some butter, flour, and sugar and make some breakfast magic.

On page 26 of Simply Scones, by Leslie Weiner and Barbara Albright, is a very basic recipe that I use all the time.  While the book is full of specialty scone recipes, the plain old Buttermilk Scone recipe is one that I find to be the easiest - I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and can easily make substitutions when needed.

Buttermilk Scones - Preheat oven to 400º
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 TB *Unsalted Butter (I ALWAYS use salted, and then don't add the 1/4 tsp. salt - I'm not a butter purist!)
1/2 cup buttermilk (Don't have it? Substitute 1 TB vinegar to 1 Cup milk - in this case 1/2 TB/1/2 Cup.)
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


When adding blueberries or huckleberries, I almost always add some lemon zest - it just gives it that little extra something!

In a large bowl, stir together all of the dry ingredients.  Cut the (cold!) butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixer.  Using a pastry blender, crush the butter into the flour until it resembles course crumbs.
*This is when I add fresh or frozen fruit, and lightly coat it with the flour mixture.  Try not to over-stir, or you'll end up with scones the solid color of your fruit.

 In a separate bowl, mix together the liquid ingredients: buttermilk, egg, vanilla.  Stir into dry mix, just enough so that no powdery-dry ingredients are left in the bowl.  Again - over-stirring breaks the fruit, and warms up the butter.

*At this point, the recipe book calls for the cook to shape a disk out of the dough, with lightly floured hands, score it on top (like cutting pie slices, but not all the way through) and bake.

I prefer a more rugged looking scone, so I spoon-drop them (big spoon) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Then I sprinkle the scones with sugar - if you can find the course, decorative sugar in your area - it makes it prettier.  I live in 'Podunk', Oregon, and have yet to find it in a store!  :-(

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and they can pass the toothpick test.  Cool scones on a wire rack for as long as you can stand - then pour the coffee and enjoy!  This is one of those recipes that makes me feel like I never need to visit a bakery again!