scone alone

i always though scones were low in fat when i starting ingesting them, sans clotted cream. then i went ahead and spoiled that delusion by starting to bake them myself. now it's easy to see why i was initially fooled. they are light, flaky, and never greasy in that muffin-from-the-gas-station sort of way. who was to know just had much butter had been worked into the batter! the most critical thing to remember when creating these buttermilk babies is go easy ...

so, enjoy with a dusting of powdered sugar, or slice them in half and slather with creme fraiche and homemade pear butter, and even a dollop of jam will do fine! this version, which is easy to make and can even be prepared the night before and 'held' in the fridge until it's time for baking, is delicious breakfast food!

take-it-easy scones:
1. preheat oven to 400º, and have a ungreased cookie sheet at the ready (if baking right after mixing)
2. combine 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl
3. cut 12 tablespoons of cold plugra butter into 1/2 inch cubes, and toss with flour mixture. using your thumb and forefinger, compress the cubes of butter, flattening them and working them with the flour mixture [note: the point is not to 'incorporate' the butter, making it disappear - rather, it is to turn the butter into little pieces which are 'coated' in the dry ingredients]
4. add 1 cup of lowfat buttermilk to this crumbly mass, and stir in until all of the ingredients come together ... it will be flaky and not 'doughy', which is perfect
5. turn the mixture out onto a floured work surface, and using your hands, form it into a 6 inch diameter circle, which is 'domed' at the center - it should almost look like an inverted bowl
6. brush the pastry with melted butter, and sprinkle liberally with sugar-in-the-raw
7. cut the dome into 6 or 8 'wedges', and transfer the pieces to a baking sheet - i like to let this rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking, but if you're short on time, by all means pop them in the oven!
8. bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are 'set' and the edges are slightly golden - you can make them more well done if you like, although i prefer them with just under brown, when they are still tender
9. enjoy - and in truth, when eating a scone you're never alone!