his
is a festive looking scone, full of ruby red cranberries and
colorful candied fruit that is finished off with sliced almonds and
a dusting of snowy-white powdered sugar (confectioners or icing).
Since I often serve this quick bread as part of a holiday breakfast
or brunch, I like to make it into one large round instead of
individual scones.
You will find this scone has a light,
almost bread-like texture as it is made without eggs and contains
milk instead of rich cream. While you could use dried
cranberries or cherries in this recipe, fresh have a wonderful tart
flavor that pairs so well with the sweet flavor of the mixed candied
fruit and peel.
To give the top of the scone a nice crisp crust with a
wonderful golden brown color, pop it under the broiler, with a
dusting of powdered sugar, just after it is baked. You can
enjoy this scone on its own or in the traditional way with Devonshire
Cream and either jam or lemon curd.
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in middle of
oven. Butter or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large
bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter
into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two
knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently stir in the
cranberries and mixed fruit, making sure not to crush the berries. Add the
milk and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Gently
knead the
dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a circle
that is 8 inches (20cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and then brush the scone with milk.
Using a sharp knife, score the top of the scone into eight triangles and then
sprinkle with the sliced almonds.
Bake
for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center
of the scone comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on
high. Sift confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar heavily over the top
of the scone and place under the broiler. Broil for just a few
seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns
golden brown. Make sure to watch the scone carefully as the sugar will
burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. If desired,
serve with Devon cream and/or your favorite jam.
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