Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400; set aside a lightly greased baking stone or cookie sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients; cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs; select one or more Optional Add-In from the list above (equalling about 1 cup total); make well in the center.
  3. In a measuring cup, mix milk and eggs, pour into well in flour mixture EXCEPT -- reserve about 1 tablespoon of egg-milk; add flavoring of choice.
  4. Stir flour-milk mixture with a fork, it will be slightly dry and rather stiff (add a bit extra milk if it appears "too" dry).
  5. Dump dough onto a floured surface, incorporating any dry crumbs from the bottom of the bowl; knead several times but DO NOT OVERWORK the dough.
  6. Divide into two balls; place one on either end of the baking stone or cookie sheet; pat into an 8-inch disk, about half-inch thick.
  7. Using a pastry brush, spread the reserved egg-milk over the tops of both disks; sprinkle with Topping of Choice covering thoroughly.
  8. With a pizza cutter or big knife, cut each cake into wedges (four large or six small), LEAVE IN PLACE.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes (tops will be golden brown); separate wedges and check that dough is "dry" -- if not, pop back in oven & give it 2-3 more minutes; then serve immediately.
  10. SERVE WITH: Recipe #186965 or Recipe #208437.
  11. LEFTOVER SCONES: as if -- but okay IF you have leftovers, cut horizontally, spread with butter and toast lightly.
  12. GREAT COMBINATIONS:
  13. chocolate chips with cranberries & brown sugar topping.
  14. chocolate chips with orange zest & orange flavoring.
  15. cranberries with walnuts.
  16. cranberries with apricots.
  17. apricots with nuts.
  18. poppyseeds with lemon flavoring & zest.
  19. cheese with nuts or chocolate chips.