Recipe: Butterscotch Scones

With Jackson's school shut down for the month, the responsibility of enacting his DLP (distance learning plan) falling to me, and Madeline no longer coming home for spring break, I have been trying to come to terms with these three large and very sudden changes that happened over the course of 48 hours. One thing I do when trying to work through a situation is clean, another is to take to the kitchen and bake, and one of the things my son asks for quite often are my scones.

Mmmm scones. Every time I taste one I'm taken back to my childhood and spending countless afternoons in Le Salon at Windsor Court. My mother would often pick me up from school and whisk me away for a few quiet hours of music, reading, and High Tea. It was treasured time together and is a tradition that we now share with my daughter as well.

Living in Tokyo means there are oodles of  places to enjoy an afternoon of tea, but I’ve discovered that the scones, while delicious, are petite. They’re lovely in their delicacy but when I think of scones my mind goes to the hearty biscuits packed with flavors of the season. This is when I’m grateful to have a recipe so I can whip up my own. 

This one of my most liked and often asked for recipes. Scones are a simple treat to prepare and after you make them once, there will be plenty of people asking you to make them again. The base for this baked good makes it easy to add other ingredients. I love adding various fruits, changing up the icings to go along with them, and there is something about chunks of chocolate that melt in your mouth with every bite. But butterscotch? Good Lord it's bite after bite of heaven.

Don't take my word for it though. Make them one time and you'll agree!

Basic Scones

Ingredients

Scone:

2 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup sugar 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced 

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 

1/2 cup cold heavy cream 

*1 cup butterscotch chips 

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 

*1/4 tsp sea salt 

*1/3 tsp vanilla

Instructions

In a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt using the paddle attachment. Cut the cold butter into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the butter is mixed in and is the size of peas. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs and whipping cream with a fork. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the cream and egg mixture. Turn off the mixer once added. Fold in butterscotch chips.

Put some flour on the counter (1/3 cup should be more than enough). Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Add some flour onto the top of the dough, then pat it out into a disk - about 8-9 inches in diameter. Cut the disk into 6-8 pieces like a pie. Separate the pieces and put them on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

As they cool slightly, begin preparing your glaze.

To make the glaze stir together cream, powdered sugar, vanilla. Add a small splash of milk or powdered sugar as necessary to make it the consistency you like.

Once this is done, you must take the most important step and share these with those you love! I remember one time I made these I may have made a mistake in preparing them a little too close to dinner time. But  everyone was happy and full, so I think my mistake was forgiven.

A few things to note: the sea salt I used came in a grinder so when it went into the glaze/dough it came out looking like normal table salt. You do not want chunky pieces in your mixtures. What could be less appetizing than biting into a piece of unground salt? Also, if you want a lighter glaze on your scones, add more liquid. Milk will create a thinner glaze than cream, so you do have options if some people don't care for a heavy topping.

Today is grey and rainy, and while I did plan to whip them up now I think I'll save it for Wednesday, our first day of school, instead. It will be a nice break from his curriculum and a good way to pass the time, making a treat everyone can enjoy. Silver lining? More like butterscotch!