Vanilla Bean Scones

Vanilla Bean Scones

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman's recipe.

Because it's fun to bake with friends even from far away...
Open up your favourite video conferencing tool and make a date to hang out and bake with your favourite people!

Materials needed:

3 baking sheets (at least 1 with sides)

at least 1 cooling rack

parchment paper or silicone baking mats

pastry blender

rolling pin

various measuring cups

large flat knife

large mixing bowl

medium mixing bowl

INGREDIENTS:

Scones:

2 vanilla beans (or 2 tsp vanilla)

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cups granulated sugar

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1 egg

Glaze:

1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla)

1/2 cup whole milk

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1) Split 2 vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise. Scrape out all the caviar inside and stir caviar into cream along with the pods; set aside for 15 minutes. (If no vanilla beans, simply add vanilla to cream and set aside.)

2) Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into large mixing bowl. Incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Remove pods from the cream (if you were using them) and mix cream mixture with the egg, then add it to the flour mixture; stir gently with a fork just until it just comes together. The mixture should resemble biscuit dough.

3) Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it together, forming a rough rectangle. (Mixture will still be slightly crumbly.) Use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the rectangle into 12 squares. Then slice each square in half diagonally, to form two triangles.

4) Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner and bake until cooked through, but not yet golden, about 15-18 minutes. Edges/corners should just be starting to show colour. Cool for 15 minutes.

5) Mix glaze ingredients together with a whisk in medium mixing bowl. Dip cooled scones into glaze to coat them entirely, then transfer to a cooling rack to dry and harden.  (I usually put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips.)

They are best once totally hardened, which takes at least 30 minutes. Good luck getting your family to wait that long.

Makes 24 large scones.  Scones can also be cut in half, before going on baking sheet, to make mini scones. Reduce cooking time if you do that.