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Cherry-Almond Scones

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour, or more as needed, plus more for shaping
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cream, or more as needed, plus more for brushing
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 450 F.
2. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl.
3. Add the butter and press it into the flour mixture, breaking it into tiny pieces until it looks like coarse meal.
4. Stir in the egg and 1/2 cup cream.
5. The mixture should form a slightly sticky dough.
6. If it's too sticky, add flour, but very little; it should still stick to your hands.
7. If it's too dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time.
8. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour on a work surface and turn out the dough.
9. Sprinkle the cherries and almonds over it and knead only a few times to incorporate the fruit and nuts.
10. If the dough is very sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour, but no more.
11. Press the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick circle and cut across the diameter into 8 or 10 wedges.
12. Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and transfer them one by one to an ungreased baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between them.
13. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the scones are golden brown.
14. Transfer to a rack to cool a bit.
15. Serve right away if possible, or at least the same day.

Attribution