Pipe Dream #258: To Be The Next Best Thing – Classic Cream Scones

Too long have I waited to bust out the jar of Devonshire cream biding its time in my pantry. I wanted to consume it it just the right moment. There is a time for every matter under heaven, and I knew that the right time for this would be with my mother (whose love of Devonshire cream is laced with both childhood nostalgia the unrealized dream of being born British) and the most classic of classic British cream scones. And also tea.

The only thing that could possibly make these scones more classic is if they included currants instead of dried cranberries (the next best thing), but they are so similar. I won’t tell if you won’t. They are tender and rich and absolutely perfect with a slather of Devonshire cream. If you don’t have any, you can always make mock Devonshire cream (the next best thing) by whipping softened cream cheese with heavy cream and a little bit of sugar. Or you can eat them warm with butter and jam (the next best thing).

Above is the hallowed gifted jar, and also, an excellent flannel. Thirty minutes and you will be on your way to the next best thing.

Flannelizingly,

L

Classic Cream Scones

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook via smittenkitchen

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or currants, if you want to be ultra-traditional)
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl. Whisk together.

Use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the dried cranberries. Stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula until a dough begins to form.

Knead dough by hand on a countertop just until it comes together into a rough ball. Form scones by patting the dough  into a 3/4-inch thick circle and cutting out rounds with a glass or biscuit cutter. Pat the scraps into a circle to form one last scone.

Place rounds or wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, and serve with Devonshire cream or a pat of butter.