With my new found energy in life, I have been getting up early with enough time to bake in the mornings if I want. I recently picked up a used copy of Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen, which for the most part was focused on a life I barely remember from before COVID - dinner parties, slightly complicated ingredient lists, etc. to acclimate a new cook to their new married life of dinners together. But flipping through the pages, I found this great recipe for Cream Scones that I took and adjusted to make a tasty Monday morning treat.
These have been great to snack on, but perhaps because of the whole wheat flour, any left after the first day definitely need to be warmed up before serving. I have also made them (and thus the recipe below) with whole wheat flour. You can definitely use unbleached white flour, but I like the taste and texture of whole wheat baked goods. It also calls for 3/4 cup heavy cream but I used half heavy cream and half 2% milk just to make it a little lighter.
Martha’s version also uses dried currants, where I have used dried cranberries because that is what I had on hand, but currants are definitely on the list to try. She also offers variations for chocolate chunk & coconut, lemon-ginger, cherry-hazelnut, and cheddar-chive. Clearly, this recipe is versatile, so don’t be afraid to mix in other things that appeal to your taste buds. With my recent blueberry kick, I think those might be next on my list! But just remember if you make a savory swap, omit the sugar and cinnamon.
Cranberry Cream Scones
Ingredients
3/4 cup cold heavy cream (plus 1 tablespoon for brushing tops)
1 large egg
2 cups whole wheat flour (plus some for surface)
1/4 scant cup sugar
A dash of cinnamon
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Sanding sugar for tops (optional)
To Make
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and the egg and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is integrated with just a few pea-sized pieces. Stir dried cranberries in.
With a fork, stir in cream and egg mixture until just combined. The dough will be a bit crumbly, so don’t overwork it.
Lightly flour your work surface and tip the dough out of the bowl onto the surface. Pat the dough into a 4”x6” rectangle. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut into 6 or 12 squares (pictured are 12 pieces).
Transfer pieces to a parchment-covered baking sheet. If doing, brush tops with cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Put the tray in the oven and bake until golden. 12-18 minutes depending on size. Rotate halfway through if golden color is not even throughout tray.
Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.