Alton Brown's Scones

Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe to use a food processor.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 10-12 scones

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 3/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 4 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbs. Shortening
• 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/4 Cup Dried Currants, Cranberries, Cherries or other dried fruit, coarsely chopped

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to mix well.

   

   Cold Butter and Shortening

3. Cut the butter and shortening into pieces and add to the dry ingredients.
4. Add the egg and pulse until mixed and beginning to look like coarse sand.
5. Add the cream and the dried fruit and pulse carefully until the dough barely begins to come together.



Perfect dough - those are cherries

6. Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and gently form into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.
7. Grease a sheet of parchment paper and place on a baking sheet.



Ready to bake

8. Cut the dough into triangles or other shapes and place them on the greased parchment paper.
9. Bake for 20-22 minutes until very lightly browned.
10. Cool and serve warm.

Notes:

Reading the reviews on the Food Network recipe site suggests a few comments:

First: 

Baking Powder is not Baking Soda. You want the one on the right: Baking Powder. Baking Soda is no bueno for this recipe.

Second:

Many people seem to find this is a wet dough. If it's wet you've done something wrong. You want your fat (butter and shortening) and egg to be cold - right out of the 'fridge. Same for the cream. If you use a food processor like I did and measure carefully the dough will come together.

Third:

Salt. This is an Alton Brown recipe. Use Kosher Salt and unsalted butter.