Blueberry Scones

This recipe is modified from the Milk Street recipe from Tandem Bakery’s Briana Holt.

Makes 12 large scones

Ingredients

• 455 grams (3½ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 67 grams (5 tablespoons) white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/4 teaspoons table salt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups cold buttermilk
• 18 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled150 grams
• 1 cup whole frozen blueberries
• 1 large egg, beaten (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with kitchen parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and black pepper (optional).
3. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup measure the buttermilk.
4. To a food processor, add about ½ of the flour mixture and scatter the butter over the top. Pulse until the butter is in large pea-sized pieces, 10 to 12 pulses. Transfer to the bowl with the remaining flour mixture. (See notes if you don’t have a food processor.)
5. To the bowl of flour, add the frozen blueberries, then toss with your hands until evenly combined.
6. Pour in about ⅓ of the buttermilk and toss just a few times with your hands, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the bowl, until the liquid is absorbed.
7. Add the remaining buttermilk in 2 more additions, tossing after each. After the final addition of buttermilk, toss until no dry, floury bits remain. The mixture will be quite crumbly and will not form a cohesive dough.
8. Lightly dust the counter with flour, turn the mixture out onto it, then give it a final toss. Divide it into 2 even piles, gathering each into a mound, then very briefly knead each mound; it’s fine if the mixture is still somewhat crumbly.
9. Gather each mound into a ball, then press firmly into a cohesive 5-inch disk about 1½ inches thick.
10. Optional: Brush the tops of each disk lightly with beaten egg.
11. Using a chef’s knife, (or bench scrapper) cut each disk in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Place 6 wedges on each prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. You can freeze the wedges at this point to bake later.
12. Bake until the scones are deep golden brown, 27 to 30 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
13. Cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes, then transfer directly to a rack and cool for at least another 5 minutes.
14. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

These are delicious hot as well. If you can find clotted cream, it is amazing with the scones.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry or fork to cut the butter into the flour.

The wedges freeze well to bake later. If you don’t want to bake 12 scones at once, freeze the wedges in a single layer then store in a plastic bag. When ready to bake, take out the number of scones you want and place in a 375 F degree oven for 35 minutes or golden brown.