Buttermilk Scones with Three Variations

Ingredients

• 2.5 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 0.7 cup buttermilk 
• 3 cups flour 
• 0.3 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 serving powdered sugar 
• 0.5 teaspoon sea salt fine
• 0.8 cup butter unsalted cold cubed

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• stand mixer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
3. Beat flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until crumbly and butter is pea-size, about 2 minutes.
4. Add buttermilk and mix just until dough starts to come together, about 20 seconds.
5. Mix just to blend into a shaggy dough, about 10 more seconds. (If you don't have a stand mixer, cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, then stir in buttermilk.)
6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Form into 2 disks, each about 1 in. thick and still dry-looking in a few spots.
7. Cut each disk into 8 wedges. Put wedges on baking sheets 1 in. apart.
8. Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
9. APRICOT-GINGER
10. Add 1/3 cup each minced dried apricots and crystallized ginger. You can use any kind of dried apricot, but we especially love California Blenheims for their rich, tangy-sweet flavor (order online frombrfarms.comorandysorchard.com).
11. CHERRY-ALMOND
12. Add 1/3 cup each dried tart cherries and sliced almonds.
13. BLUEBERRY-LEMON
14. Add 3 tbsp. lemon zest to flour mixture and gently mix in 1/3 cup frozen blueberries in step 3, being careful not to mash the fruit. (Frozen berries are better in scones than fresh, because they dont ooze as much).