Fresh Apricot Scones with Ginger and White Chocolate Chunks
 
 
Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup buttermilk (see notes*)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • ¾ cup fresh or frozen apricots (see notes**)
  • ½ cup roughly chopped white chocolate
Finish:
  • heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, almond extract and ginger; mix well.
  4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the apricots and white chocolate.
  5. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a ¾"-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and pat into a ¾"-thick rectangle. Repeat the process, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
  6. Cut out scones with a round cutter and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Press together scraps and cut out one or two more scones.
  7. Brush tops of scones with heavy cream or half-and-half, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
  8. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
*I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1½ teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk (I used almond, but any kind will do) to hit the ½-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
**If using fresh apricots, freeze them for at least one hour before folding them into the dough.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/fresh-apricot-scones/