MADE: Scones!

I figured that since I'd finally put up the Apple Cheddar Scones--I'm still shocked about that glaring omission, by the dubs--that I'd fess up to my deeper love of scones in any variety. For a while in undergrad, my House raised money for charity by selling coffee and baked goods in the morning. I frequently volunteered to help sell the goodies, which entailed getting up at six thirty and dragging myself down to the lobby of my dorm. As I stumbled down the last few steps, I'd invariably be greeted by the dueling aromas of coffee and scones, and by the preternaturally happy visage of my dear friend Klara, the magnificent baker of said scones.

Klara was (and still is) a marvel and an inspiration. At six thirty on a Tuesday morning, she could reach levels of  happiness than some people don't achieve in their entire lives. And she was constantly spreading that happiness to others--through laughter, through volunteer work, through dancing and singing, and--probably most importantly--through scones.

Now, whenever I make or eat a scone, I can't help but think of Klara and get a tiny bit infected by her sunniness all over again.

Klara's Scones
2 1/4 cups flour
Pinch o' salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
1 cup cream
Fillers--these can be berries, baked apples, chocolate chips, or even chunks of caramel candies (that was such a good morning!)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cream, kneading together by hand. Add in filler ingredients and knead into a ball, then roll out the ball onto a floured surface and press down to create a circle of dough about a half inch thick. Cut the dough circle into wedges and place onto a greased baking sheet, about 1" apart. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just hard and slightly golden.
"Consume and be Merry!"--Klara

For my roommate's birthday, I made these with blackberries as a breakfast surprise. It went over well, if I do say so myself.

The picture is the scones in progress, obviously. The finished products themselves were devoured before photographic evidence could be obtained.