Cream Scones for breakfast!

Yeah...yeah...finally something different for breakfast. Getting quite bored of muffins, breads, cereals, oats ...etc for my breakfast. Been thinking of what can I bake without making a mess of the kitchen and getting scolded by mum; without having to wash so much and making myself so tired after a day's work, and still fulfilling my baking itch and next morning's energy booster...


Flipping through my recipes, yeah scones it shall be. Realised I've not been baking it for a long time since the last (and first) time I baked it. So this was my second time. I found one recipe that uses whipping cream. Just nice cos' I'm still left with some whipping cream which I had been hoping to finish it up. The recipe, from Williams Sonoma-Essentials of Baking, wrote that "these cream scones-rich british tea biscuits, with slightly cake-like texture, have to be worked quickly, using a very light touch and put into the oven immediately after cutting in order to produce tender scones." Heh however I did not fulfill that, my hand movements still rather clumsy. Luckily it turned out fine. :) These are sinfully rich scones, where butter is rubbed or cut in, mixed with heavy whipping cream and often brushed with cream and sprinkled with sugar.


I was quite happy that the result looked similar to the picture posted. :) And they were really nice..flaky texture, buttery taste but quite rich though; not something I would usually have for breakfast. The orginal recipe uses currants but I used chocolate chips. I made another version plain, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Both has its own unique taste, yummy! Can't tell which I prefer. :)




















I eat it with some strawberry jam. Doesn't the one on the left look like strawberry shortcakes?? ;)

Ingredients:

For the dough

2 cups (10 oz/315 g) plain flour
1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp grated lemon zest (i omitted it)
6 tbsp (3 oz/90 g) cold unslated butter, cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces
1/2 cup (3 oz/90 g) dried currants (I used chocolate chips)
3/4 cup (6 fl oz/180 ml) heavy cream

For the topping

1 tbsp granulated, demerara, or turbinado sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp whole milk or heavy cream


Method:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Line a half-sheet pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment (baking paper).
2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, abking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, vut in the butter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. (I used rubbing-in method--rub with finger tips, pinch some flour with the butter and keep rubbing in, lifting the flour high each time and continue until all the butter are rubbed in, forming coarse crumbs) This was the first method I learnt in baking during my secondary days home economics lesson!
3. Stir in the currants. Pour the cream over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press together gently until the dough clings together in a ball.
5. Pat out into a round about 1.2 inch (12 mm) thick and 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm) in diameter. Cut the round into 6 wedges, or use a 3-inch (7.5-cm) biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. Place them one inch apart on the prepared pan.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Brush the wedges / rounds with milk and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake until golden brown, 13-17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slighly. Serve warm. Can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.