Blueberry Scones - Everyday Annie

Okay, so I really like scones. I’ve loved pretty much every kind I have ever made. That said, I think these are the best scones ever. This doesn’t really surprise me, considering that the recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated. They seem to have found the ideal method for creating a perfectly light, tender, and buttery scone. This particular version is also bursting with fresh blueberries, which seem to take on a magical new life when baked or cooked. I’m sure these would be great with other mix-ins as well, but personally I just can’t resist the blueberries.

Admittedly, the mixing and shaping method takes a little more effort than most scone recipes. While I was making them I kept wondering, will it be worth this? The answer is a resounding yes. They are completely worth the extra time they require. And as I mentioned last week with the oatmeal raspberry scones, you can freeze the shaped scones before baking and bake individually as needed straight from the freezer. These would be the perfect thing to have on hand for unexpected company.

By the way, Andrew really enjoyed them as well. He kept calling them “cookies” :)

Yield 8 scones

Ingredients

8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole
1½ cups (7½ oz.) fresh blueberries
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions

01
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater. (I like to use my food processor for this – fast and easy.) Place the blueberries in the freezer until needed.
02
Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
03
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.
04
Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps). Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
05
Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. Using a dough scraper, roll the dough up to form a tight log. Lay the log seam side down and press the the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
06
Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. (If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed.) Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Source

adapted from Entertaining from Cook’s Illustrated, Spring 2009