Apricot and Ginger Scones

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These are scones I make only for family or overnight guest. They are best eaten when eaten warm from the oven and topped with a liberal schmear of apricot jam or clotted cream. They are quite plain in appearance and not sweet enough for all tastes, but they are delicious and have a homey quality about them that I love. They have the added advantage of being easy to make. Both the dried apricots and crystallized ginger are quite sticky when cut, but the task is made much easier if you snip them with scissors rather than attempt to chop them with a knife. The recipe originally came from William Sonoma and I have included their version below. I haven't altered the recipe for my personal use, but I have altered the way the scones are made. I use the food processor to mix dry ingredients and cut in butter. It's a faster, easier and less messy way to make the dough. I pulse the dry ingredients and butter for about 8 seconds and then dump the mixture into a bowl where it can be combined with liquid ingredients. Obviously, you're not locked into apricots and ginger as add-ins. Dried cherries or cranberries are excellent substitutes and about a tablespoon of lemon or orange zest can replace the candied ginger. The are fast and simple to make and if you enjoy less sweet breakfast pastries, save this recipe for a day you can experiment. Here is how they are made.


Apricot-Ginger Scones...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by William Sonoma

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:
1) Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture forms coarse pea-size crumbs. stir in apricots and ginger.
3) In a bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk until blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and, using a rubber spatula, stir just until evenly moistened. The dough will be sticky.
4) Turn out dough onto a floured work surface and press together gently into a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut circle into 6 to 8 equal wedges. Place wedges on the prepared sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until scones are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool slightly and serve warm. Makes 6 to 8 scones.

                    

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