Creamy Scones

I have often had a love-hate relationship with scones.  I really like the ones with fruit; well, I really like the ones with fruit in them that aren't dry and crumbly.  Any of you that have had scones before may know just what I am talking about.  It always seemed so inconsistent, from bakery to bakery and maybe even from time to time at the same bakery.

A couple of years ago, a new French bakery opened in our town and one morning I tried their orange scones; moist and delicious.  I had them another time; moist and delicious.  So, my love-hate relationship turned to just love. I could get scones any time I wanted to and enjoy them...unless of course other people had wanted them as much as I did and they were sold out when I went in.

This last summer, my daughter went on a lengthy trip to the UK and of course had some amazing scones.  After she came home, we decided that we really needed to find a great recipe for scones so that we could make them anytime we wanted ... and we did.  This recipe came from Smitten Kitchen ... and the scones are made with cream.  How could they be bad?

They really have very little sugar in them at all, so the Splenda substitution didn't require much.  I also substituted in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter  and all is still wonderful.  This is a  No Sugar Added  recipe, as there are some natural sugars in the fruit you choose to add.

2 c. flour
3 1/2 t. baking powder
3 T. Splenda, + a small amount for sprinkling
1/2 t. salt
5 T. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, chilled & cut into small cubes
Fruit and/or flavorings of your choice, approx. 1/2 c.
1 c. heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 425 F.  Mix your dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with a whisk.  Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender.

 Stir in your fruits and flavorings at this point.  For this batch, I chose orange zest and dried cranberries.  (You can get reduced sugar dried cranberries.)
I have made other flavors in the past:  lemon zest and blueberries, cinnamon and raisins.  You should use your imagination here; I am sure that the combinations are endless.  You could even make some savory flavor combinations as well.

 Once the fruit is mixed through, add your cream.  Mix it in with a fork, but do not stir vigorously.  Just stir until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

Note:  As I started to make these, I didn't have any cream, but I did have some fat-free half n half.  I substituted this ingredient and they were still wonderful!  And I'm sure I saved a few calories as well.

Dust your counter with flour and turn the dough out.  It will be very sticky.  Softly knead the dough and incorporate some more flour until dough is no longer sticky.  There is no need to roll this dough; simply work it with your hands and pat it into a circle about 3/4" thick.

 At this point you can cut them out with a biscuit cutter or a glass, but I have this unreasonable idea that scones should be a different shape than round, so I just cut mine into triangles,  But you should try some other shapes too; maybe a fun cookie cutter.








If there is a little cream left in that measuring cup, don't let it go to waste.  Brush the tops of the scones; it will help them get nice and golden.
And just to make them shine a little, sprinkle just a bit more Splenda on the top.

Bake for 15 minutes.  As you can see, you get a beautiful golden color and they are just a little rustic looking.  A little more I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, melting in while they are warm out of the oven... It was a good breakfast.  So good, I went ahead and had two ... well maybe by the end of the morning and several nibbles later it was closer to three...