Cherry Almond Scones

Last night, I whipped up a batch of Cherry Almond Scones from the New York Times Cooking site.

I prepped the scones and popped them in the freezer. This morning, I transferred them from the freezer to the oven. They needed about 10 extra minutes of baking time compared to the recipe's instructions for fresh dough, but the slight adjustment was well worth it.

The taste was divine. The natural sweetness of the cherries combined with the warm, nutty almond flavor created a perfect harmony. Each bite was truly delightful, making for a wonderful start to the day.

If you're looking for a new scone recipe, I highly recommend giving these Cherry Almond Scones a try!

Cherry Almond Scones

Ingredients-

2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3/4 cup/84 grams almond flour

1/2 cup/45 grams sliced almonds, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

1 tbsp baking powder

¾ tsp kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

½ cup/113 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup/150 grams fresh or frozen pitted cherries, roughly chopped (see Tip)

1 cup cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

Method-

Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sliced almonds, sugar, baking powder and salt. 

Stir to combine.Add the butter to the bowl and toss to coat in flour. 

Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the size of small peas. 

Add the cherries and stir to combine. 

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the cream, vanilla extract and almond extract. 

Use a fork to gently stir the mixture into a very shaggy dough. (It’s OK if there are a few loose, floury pieces of dough.)Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. 

Fold the dough in half, then pat it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle and fold it one more time. 

Pat the dough into a circle about 7 inches wide and 1 inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. 

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with a bit of cream and sprinkle with sugar and sliced almonds.Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. 

Serve warm. (These are best the first day, but you can store any leftover scones in an airtight container for a day.)