Tender, moist, lightly almond-flavored scones use homemade almond paste for a flavorful and cheap option. These scones will melt in your mouth!
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8scones
Ingredients
For the scones
2cupsall-purpose flour (280g)
1tbspbaking powder
3tbspsugar
1/2tspkosher salt
5tbspcold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" cubes (70g)
1cupheavy cream (227ml)
Almond Paste
heaping 3/4cupalmond flour (90g)
9tbsppowdered sugar (70g)
1.5tbspwater (20ml)
1/2tspalmond extract
Assembly
3tspraspberry jam, optional
Instructions
Make the scones
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt until combined. Rub the cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the texture is powdery with some chunks of butter still the size of peas. Pour in the heavy cream (reserve 1 tbsp or so for brushing) and stir until a soft dough forms--try not to overmix. Use your hands to gently knead any stray dry crumbs into the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover the bowl with a towel and set in the fridge to rest while you make the almond paste.
In a food processor, add the almond flour and powdered sugar and process to combine. Add the water and almond extract and process until a paste forms.
On a floured surface, roll out the scone dough a rectangle around 6x12". Roll out the almond paste into a long rectangle around the same width but twice the length of the rectangle. Cut the paste into 4 squares.
Place one square of almond paste on the bottom of the dough rectangle. If using the optional jam, spread 1 teaspoon evenly over the almond paste. Fold the top piece of dough over the bottom and roll out the dough to the same dimensions (around 6x12"). Repeat with the almond paste 3x until all the almond paste squares are used up.
Cut the dough in half, then in quarters to make 8 scones. Brush scones with a tablespoon of cream, sprinkle with granulated or turbinado sugar if desired). Transfer scones to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly and enjoy! These are best enjoyed the day they're made, but they also reheat quite well.
Notes
Recipe based on scones from America's Test Kitchen via Smitten Kitchen and almond paste from ElaVegan