Blueberry Scones

 So a few weeks ago I posted the recipe for scones, and said that I had already posted the recipe for my blueberry scones.  This week I looked and noticed that the blueberry scone recipe is not here!  Something I have to amend immediately!

This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen and is absolutely amazing.  Also, they use a great technique for cutting in butter that both saves time and improves texture, and I've applied it to lots of other recipes since then. 

These scones are buttery and flaky and sweet and oh-so-good.  I'm drooling just thinking about them.  If you, like my ridiculous children, prefer them plain you can make them that way, but they're really better with some berries.  I've also made them with blackberries and raspberries with great success. 

Blueberry Scones
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen


Ingredients:
8 T (1 stick) butter, very cold (frozen is good)
1 1/2 cups blueberries, either fresh or frozen
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 cups flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp grated citrus zest, either lemon, lime, or orange (or a combination)
2 T melted butter
1 T sugar

If using fresh blueberries, check them over for stems, etc., then put them in the freezer until ready to use.

Using a box grater, grate the cold/frozen butter into a bowl.  Place in freezer until ready to use.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream/yogurt.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat, or lightly grease.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest with a whisk.  Add frozen butter to the bowl and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture, combining with a spatula until just combined.  Dough will be loose and may not have fully come together.  This is fine.

Transfer dough to a liberally floured surface.  Knead a few times until the dough comes together and isn't so sticky.  You may use another 1/2-1 cup flour at this time, which is fine.  Roll dough into a 12-inch square.  Fold down the top third of the dough, then fold up the bottom third, so the dough is folded like a business letter.  Then do the same thing with the sides of the dough, so you have a 4-inch cube.  Transfer dough to a floured plate and freeze for 5 minutes.

Transfer cold dough to floured work surface and again roll into a 12-inch square.  Sprinkle blueberries over the surface, pressing them slightly into the dough.  Using a bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough and roll up cinnamon-roll style into a tight log.  Lay roll seam-side down and squash the top with your hands to make it rectangular instead of round.  Cut into 4 equal squares, then cross-cut each square into two triangles.  (I frequently cut the big log into 5 instead of 4, and it works fine, it just makes smaller scones.)

Place the triangles on prepared baking sheet.  Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.***  Bake at 425F for 18-25 minutes, until tops and bottoms are browned.  Transfer to rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 scones.

***You can also refrigerate or freeze these at this point.  Put the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer.  After refrigerating overnight, follow the same baking directions as above.  For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Even bedhead is better when you're eating a scone.