Amaretto Scones Recipe 445

Steps:

• Before starting scones, place raisins or cherries in a bowl and cover with Amaretto. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or until raisins/cherries have plumped. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles crumbs. In another bowl mix together the egg, milk, cream and Amaretto. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the raisins or cherries and nuts. Mix until a dough comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. With a round cutter (2 or 3-inch) cut dough. Space scones at least 1 to 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. With the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream brush each top of the scones. Bake the scones at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until scones are light brown in color. Let scones cool and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Make apricot swirl:
• Simmer apricots and water in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Add brown sugar and Amaretto and pulse to a coarse purée. Add almonds and pulse once or twice to coarsely chop nuts.
• Transfer purée to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• Make scones:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
• Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in cleaned food processor, then crumble almond paste and add to processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons almonds.
• Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and almond extract in a 2-cup glass measure, then reserve 2 tablespoons buttermilk mixture for brushing on scones. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in remaining buttermilk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add apricot purée and stir once or twice to distribute without incorporating fully. (Dough will be wet.)
• Transfer dough with floured hands to a well-floured surface, then turn dough to coat with flour and pat into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Carefully transfer dough to lined baking sheet and cut into 8 equal wedges with a floured knife, leaving wedges together. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firm, about 30 minutes, before cutting.)
• Brush top and sides with reserved buttermilk mixture and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons almonds. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a scone comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 minutes and cut wedges to separate. Serve warm or at room temperature.