BASIC CREAM SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Fit food processor with steel blade. Place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in work bowl. Pulse on/off to mix. Add butter; process 10 seconds or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to large bowl.
• Combine heavy cream and eggs; reserve 1 tablespoon. Pour remaining cream mixture over flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is soft.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape into ball; pat into 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Brush reserved cream mixture over tops; sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
• Chocolate Lavender Scones: Add 1 teaspoon dried lavender to dry ingredients. Stir 1/2 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate into dough before shaping.
• Ginger Peach Scones: Stir 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger and 1/3 cup chopped dried peaches into dough before shaping.
• Lemon Poppyseed Scones: Stir grated peel of 1 lemon (about 3-1/2 teaspoons) and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds into dough before shaping. Omit coarse sugar topping. When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle with lemon icing made from 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (add up to 1-1/2 teaspoons more lemon juice, if necessary, for desired consistency).
• Maple Pecan Scones: Stir 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans into dough before shaping. Omit coarse sugar topping. When scones have cooled slightly, drizzle with maple icing made from 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
• Mini Scones: Divide dough into 2 balls before shaping into rounds and cutting into wedges. Makes 16
• Round Scones: Cut dough into rounds using lightly floured cookie or biscuit cutter.