Cherry Almond Scones

Cherry Almond Scones - ButterYum

This scone recipe is an adaptation of one by Pam Anderson, cookbook author and USA Weekend food columnist.  I was out of sour cream, but I had Greek yogurt and heavy cream in the fridge so I changed the original recipe slightly to accommodate the ingredients I had.  I think they turned out just as good as the original recipe.  Tender and uber flavorful, Pam's scones are the best I've ever eaten, and I'd like to think she'd approve of this version.  The recipe ingredients are listed in grams (my preferred unit of measure for baking).  I'll post a conversion when I have more time, but for those who don't wish to wait, there are free conversion calculators available online.

Cherry Almond Scones
makes 8
adapted from a recipe by Pam Anderson

250g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
65g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
3g baking powder (1 teaspoon)
1g baking soda (1/4 teaspoon)
3g salt (1/2 teaspoon)
115g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes (8 tablespoons)
80g dried cherries, chopped (1/2 cup)
80g Greek yogurt (see note below)
35g heavy cream (see note below)
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 large egg
Cream and sugar for garnish (Turbinado or sanding sugar work well, but granulated sugar is fine)

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, heavy cream, and almond extract.  Stir until smooth; set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in chopped cherries.

With a fork, stir in the yogurt mixture until all the crumbs are moistened.  Using your hands, press the crumbs onto the sides of the bowl until a ball of dough forms.  On a floured surface, press the ball of dough into an 8-inch round that is approximately 3/4-inch thick.  With a sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator until the oven preheats to 400F.

Just before baking, brush wedges with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 15-17 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:
The original recipe calls for 115g sour cream (1/2 cup), omit Greek yogurt and heavy cream.