Date and Pecan Scones

West Hill House B&B
1496 West Hill Road
Warren, VT
05674

Email: dotty@westhillhouse.com
Website: http://www.westhillhouse.com

Rolls, Scones, Coffee Cake

2 Cups all purpose flour
6 Tablespoons butter, cut into slim pats and frozen
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 Cup chopped, pitted dates - (I use pre-pitted, already chopped Dromedary Dates)
1 Tablespoon finely chopped orange peel, no white pith included.

1 egg, broken into a measuring cup and beaten lightly plus enough milk to make 3/4 cup total liquid.

Sugar to sprinkle on top before baking.

The secret to light scones (beware of serving stones!) is in keeping ingredients very cold and working the dough as little as possible to prevent the gluten in the flour from developing and creating a tough dough.

I cut the butter into slim pats, put them in a single layer on a plate and put the plate in the freezer while I'm assembling the rest of the ingredients.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Beat the egg and add the milk to make 3/4 cup - put it into refrigerator to keep cold.

Blend flour, salt, baking powder and frozen butter in food processor until small lumps of butter are distributed throughout. Do not blend so long as to get the dough heated from the blade. A few seconds of pulsing is sufficient. A pastry blender or forks will do this job, as well.

Place butter-flour mixture into mixing bowl and add pecans, orange zest and chopped dates.

Add the cold milk-egg mixture and stir very gently, just until the liquid no longer runs in the bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and mix with hands just until all flour is moistened. Don't handle any more than necessary. The dough may be a little sticky - that's ok. Pat out gently into a rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Sprinkle the top with a generous amount of sugar.

Square up the edges with the flat of a big knife and cut diagonally into diamond and triangle shapes.

Place on greased or parchment covered cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Yum!