Last night I was sitting on the couch telling Brent about how Valentine’s Day isn’t for married people. I went on for a bit until he’s all…you say that every year. I do!? Apparently I subconsciously feel strongly about Valentine’s Day. Then he went out and bought Jillian and I each a bouquet of flowers today. Over-achiever. I baked some blueberry scones that count for Teacher Appreciation Week, Valentine’s Day annnd after school snacks. I multi-tasked that business.
Scones are a delightful combination of flour, sugar and lots of butter. The fresh fruit makes you feel like you’re eating something healthy, so just don’t even look at all that butter. Oh and that crazy picture above? Free lensing. It’s my new favorite thing. You take the lens off your camera body and then tilt it this way and that to get different looks. It’s like a make-shift tilt-shift.
Smitten Kitchen Berry Scones
Makes 12
2 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces of butter, in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup blueberries
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (use the smaller amount if using fresh fruit, the larger if using the raisin-caraway combo)
Turbinado or sanding sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place cubed butter in freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure other ingredients (except buttermilk and fruit) and mix in the bowl of a food processor.
Add butter to processor bowl and mix until the butter and flour mixture are the texture of coarse cornmeal. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer and add buttermilk and fruit, mixing on the lowest speed until the dough just comes together.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple times. Roll dough out to approximately one-inch thickness (I skipped the rolling pin and just patted it out with floured hands) and cut into squares. Cut those squares again on the diagonal, creating triangles. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if you’re using it.
Bake on an ungreased baking sheet (mine stuck ever-so-slightly, so I might line it with parchment next time, though no biggie if you don’t) for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
