Sweet Cream Scones

These delicate pastries start with butter and flour, then get a hit of cream for a sublimely tender morning treat.

Yield: makes 2 dozen

Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingers, rub it into the flour until it forms pea-size crumbles. Pour in the cream and stir until the dough just comes together. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and, using your hands, form it into a flat block and let rest for 5 minutes.
Fold the dough in half (like closing a book), press into a flat block once again and then let rest for 5 more minutes. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough block until it's 1-inch thick. Using a 1 ⅞-inch-round cutter, cut out rounds of dough and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets in the freezer and freeze the scones for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400°. Remove the scones from the freezer and, using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each scone with some of the beaten egg. Bake the scones, rotating halfway through, until risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to a rack and let the scones cool. Serve with the jam and clotted cream.