Cranberry-Walnut Scones

It's a bit cold in our home this morning. The furnace is not working - yikes! A repairman will be here soon, so there's hope! And, I decided there's no better way to warm up the kitchen than to bake something, so this is what I made.

You'll notice quickly that this recipe cuts in half easily. I made a full batch and figure I'll send some home with the furnace man!!

CRANBERRY-WALNUT SCONES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling on scone tops
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup buttermilk, plus extra for brushing scone tops

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. With your fingertips, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in cranberries and walnuts.

Make a well in the center and gradually stir in buttermilk to form a ball. Knead lightly. Do not overwork; the dough will be sticky.

Divide the dough in half. On a lightly-floured surface, pat or roll each portion into an 8-inch round - about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each round into 8 triangles.

Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.


DONNA'S NOTES: I use half all-purpose flour and half whole-wheat pastry flour. I mixed the dry ingredients and the butter in my food processor, then poured that mixture into a bowl for the remaining steps.