Scones for Tea Anyone?

Chocolate Chip Scones
Yum Yum....these are sooo good!!! Chocolate chips make EVERYTHING better, and scones are no exception! These rich, tender scones aren’t overly sweet, allowing the flavor of dark chocolate to shine through. Serve them as is, or spread with raspberry or apricot jam for one of those "big sigh" moments. Use all-purpose if that’s what you have; the dough will be a bit stiffer. Scones will still be tasty, just not quite so tender.
2 1/2 cups Unbleached Pastry Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats

3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream–half and half, light, heavy, or whipping

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups to

2 cups chocolate chips

coarse white sparkling sugar or demerara sugar, for topping

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder till thoroughly combined.

Add the butter, working it in until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.

Whisk together the cream , eggs, and vanilla.

Set aside 2 tablespoons, and add the rest to the dry ingredients, along with the chocolate chips. Mix to form a moist dough.

Transfer the sticky dough to a heavily floured rolling mat or other work surface.

Gently pat and round it into an 8" circle.

Brush the dough with the reserved egg/cream mixture, and sprinkle heavily with coarse sugar.

Dip a 2" round cutter in flour, and use it to cut out a total of 16 scones; you’ll have to gather the scraps and reshape the dough once.

Space the scones evenly on the prepared pan.

Bake the scones for 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown.

Remove them from the oven, and serve warm.

If not serving immediately or within a couple of hours, store in an airtight container.

To reheat, wrap loosely in aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Yield: 16 to 18 3" scones (depending on the amount of chips you use).

Variation: Make cute little bite-sized (1 ¾") scones by using a 1 ½" cutter.

Reduce the oven time to about 13 minutes, baking until scones are a light golden brown.

Yield: about 40 to 45 scones, depending on the amount of chips you use.
©2006 The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

***For some Tea with your scones try Ducky Life Tea, or Boston Tea Company

Cinnamon Schmear Scones

These tender, buttery scones feature a thick, rich swirl of cinnamon through their center. Because of their moist cinnamon filling, they remain soft and fresh longer than most scones.
Cinnamon Filling:

3/4 cup Baker's Cinnamon Filling Mix

2 tablespoons waterDough

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup evaporated milk or half and half

1 cup cinnamon chips (optional)

Toppingwhite sparkling sugar,

Demerara sugar, or cinnamon-sugar

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

To make the cinnamon filling: Stir together the Baker's Cinnamon Filling Mix and the water to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.

To make the dough: Combine the dry ingredients and cut in the butter, mixing to make irregular crumbs. In a small bowl or cup, blend together the egg, vanilla, and milk. Add this to the dry ingredients, along with the cinnamon chips, and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together.

Turn the sticky mass out onto a floured work surface and knead it gently into a rough 10-inch square or circle. Here comes the mud-pie part.

Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough, covering as much of the surface as possible without being too persnickety about it.

Now, fold the dough over on itself a few times to make a big mound, and to enclose the filling. Gently pat the mound into a 9" to 10" square.

Cut the square into 16 squares, or 18 triangles (nine squares, each cut in half diagonally).

Place them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush with milk (or spray with Quick Shine) and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove the scones from the oven and gently transfer them to a rack to cool.

Serve warm, or at room temperature. Yield: 16 to 18 scones.