There are many different types of scones but I would say that these fall into a sweet bread category. They are moist and have a crunch of almonds. As you can see in the picture, I do like my scones very toasty. Any type of bread or pastry, I think is much better with a toasty crust.
So, if you are looking for something sweet but are not quite up to the sugar high from a donut, these would surely hit the spot. This recipe makes 30 scones, about 2 1/4 inches. Or if making the dessert to follow, it makes 8-10 that are 4 inches in diameter.
Almond Breakfast Scones
adapted from Dessert Circus at Home
Ingredients
1 cup blanched chopped almonds
3/4 cup golden raisins (optional I did not include)
3 tbs and 1 tsp baking powder
generous 1/2 cup of sugar
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups of heavy cream
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 egg mixed with 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together flours, baking powder and salt. Mix in sugar and pour in heavy cream. Using a wooden spoon, mix together until a dough is formed. Add the almonds and the raisins (optional) and stir. Once everything is evenly distributed through the batter, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead for one minute until the dough is smooth. Be careful not to overwork the dough, or it will shrink up during baking. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle that is 1/2 an inch thick. Cut out scones using a 2 1/4 inch cutter for regular scones and a 4 inch cutter for dessert preparation. Continue to cut out the scones, re-rolling and cutting the remaining scraps until all dough is cut out. Place on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of the scones with the egg wash. Place pans in oven and bake for about 15 minutes for the smaller and 20 minutes for the larger scones , rotating and changing racks halfway in between baking time. Remove from oven and transfer scones to rack to completely cool.
**LAST YEAR: Pink Squirrel Cheesecake**