Slight detour - scones

In the past I've used this blog to record non-gardening info, like my detour into attempts to craft the ideal baguette. Though I didn't achieve perfection, I felt like I vastly improved the quality of my bread and recorded the key steps that made a big difference.

This post with document my attempts at scones. Before I even begin I have to admit that I have never actually eaten an actual scone. So I have an utter lack of reasonable preconceptions about what a scone actually is going into this.Not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Scone One - Maple Pecan with a Maple Sugar drizzle

My first attempt was based on this recipe. The result was pretty good, but a bit dense. Again, not knowing what a legit scone tastes like and what kind of texture it has, I was a bit in the dark. But I would make the recipe again - if I wasn't on a quixotic quest for the ideal scone. The drizzle was nice, though made it a bit messier.

Scone Two - Raspberry

The second scone was very light and airy, which just didn't seem right. I think the use of some cake flour contributed to the lightness. I enjoyed the texture, but the gourmands I offered them to (the kids) were disappointed, particularly after enjoying the first scones so much. They were also a lot more crumbly. And the raspberries didn't hold up very well, I could barely taste them at all, and only rarely happened upon any raspberry bits with enough texture to be distinguished from the surrounding scone. Perhaps more raspberries would have helped? Maybe that's not the right fruit for scones.

Scone Three - Chocolate Chip

The third and perhaps final scone was definitely the best of the lot. I put the call out on facebook to find a good recipe after the second attempt went south on me. One friend answered with this recipe which was just about perfect. It's done in a food processor, which leads to a much finer texture to the scone - both others seemed a bit more clumpy. The only deviations I took from the recipe was to fold a bit more (I used too many chocolate chips and it took a bit to incorporate them), I used a bit more cream (as written the dough was too dry and did not come together), and I had to bake longer - they weren't completely done in the center even after 20 minutes (!) though likely that is a function of my oven more than the recipe. Next time I will crush up the chocolate chips a bit, add fewer of them, and add some crushed pecans. But overall very pleased with the third attempt. 

Maybe I'll even try a real scone and see how far off I am.