Best-Ever Scones

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.5 cup butter cold cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup sugar 
• 1 cup whipping cream divided

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• blender
• wax paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 45
2. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. Freeze 5 minutes.
4. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Turn dough out onto wax paper; gently press or pat dough into a 7-inch round (mixture will be crumbly).
6. Cut round into 8 wedges.
7. Place wedges 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.
8. Brush tops of wedges with remaining 2 Tbsp. cream just until moistened.
9. Bake at 450 for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden.
10. Sweet Variations
11. Chocolate-Cherry Scones: Stir in 1/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped, and 2 oz.coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate with the cream.
12. Apricot-Ginger Scones: Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots and 2 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger with the cream.
13. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze after baking.
14. Cranberry-Pistachio Scones: Stir in 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted pistachios with the cream.
15. Brown Sugar-Pecan Scones: Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans with the cream.
16. Savory Variations
17. Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper with the cream.
18. Ham-and-Swiss Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup finely chopped baked ham with the cream.
19. Serve warm with Mustard Butter: Stir together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard, and 1 Tbsp. minced sweet onion.
20. Pimiento Cheese Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup (3-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and 3 Tbsp. finely chopped pimiento with the cream.
21. Rosemary, Pear, and Asiago Scones: Omit sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh pear, 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, and 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary with the cream.
22. Festive Touch
23. Bite-Size Scones: Pat dough into 2 (4-inch) rounds.
24. Cut rounds into 8 wedges.
25. Bake as directed for 12 to 13 minutes.