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Dried Fruit Scones

This recipe is from the Dessert University cookbook by Roland Messier, a White House pastry chef.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast
Servings 8 scones

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 recipe Cobbler Dough
  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted for brushing
  • 1 cup raisins, dried blueberries, dried cherries or dried cranberries
  • 3 Tbsp Cinnamon Sugar
  • Confectioners sugar

Cobbler, Scone, Shortcake, or Turnover Dough

  • 2 large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 Tbsp cream of tartar
  • pinch salt
  • 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 pieces
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Cinnamon Sugar

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

Cobbler, Scone, Shortcake or Turnover Dough

  • Separate the egg yolks from the whites and set the whites aside for another use. Push the yolks through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, and set aside.
  • Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
  • Add the egg yolks and the heavy cream, and mix until the dough just comes together. Cover the bowl with a kitchen bowl until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Dried Fruit Scones

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 4 pieces. (Note: I do this a bit differently and my comments are below in Recipe Notes). Shape each piece into a 6-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick. Brush 2 of the disks with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and sprinkle with the dried fruit. Place the remaining disk on top of the fruit and press lightly. With a sharp chef's knife, cut each disk into 4 wedges. Please the wedges 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased and unlined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with the Cinnamon sugar. Bake the scones until they are light golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the broiler on high. Sift confections' sugar heavily over the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few seconds, until the sugar is melted and golden. Watch the scones carefully, because the sugar will begin to burn quickly.
  • Cool the scones on a wire rack. Dried Fruit Scones will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, they can be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Defrost them on the counter and then reread in a 325-degree over for 7 to 8 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Sugar

  • Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Notes

I like individual scones vs. wedges so I divide the dough in half. Press one half of the dough into a circle about 1/4" thick. Brush with melted butter and then sprinkle the dried fruit on top. Use the second half of the dough and shape into a similar size circle. Place it on top of the bottom dough and fruit and press lightly. 
Using a round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut the scones into individual rounds. I use a 2 1/2" round or heart-shaped cutter. Brush each scone with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake scones until golden brown. Continue with the regular instructions about adding confectioners sugar and broiling.
These are so delicious and go quickly so I usually double the recipe.
Notes: I have made this dough and added the fruit while mixing, well before forming into wedges or individual scones. However, by sandwiching the fruit between the dough, you avoid having the dried fruit on top which will burn and become bitter when baked. I found the best method is to sandwich the fruit between the cobbler dough.
Also when you broil the scones, do not line your baking sheet with parchment paper or it may catch on fire under the broiler.