FENNEL AND GOLDEN-RAISIN SCONES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place fennel seeds in a spice grinder, and pulse until coarsely ground, 10 times; set aside. (Alternatively, crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt to combine. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with a few larger clumps remaining.
• Add the raisins and reserved fennel seeds,1/2 cup olive oil, and the cream; stir until the dough just comes together. If the dough is too dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Using a floured 2 3/4-inch cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible, dipping the cutter in flour each time; place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently pat the scraps together, and continue cutting out rounds. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the dough is very firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. (At this point, you can freeze the unbaked scones in a resealable plastic bag until ready to bake, up to 3 weeks.)
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the egg and the remaining tablespoon olive oil; brush over the tops of the rounds, then sprinkle with fennel seeds. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the tops of the scones are golden and flecked with brown spots, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. They are best eaten the day they are baked.