Blueberry Eggnog Scones

This Christmas Eve morning, I decided to experiment with more ways to use eggnog in baking, so I whipped up a batch of blueberry eggnog scones.

The scone is a type of quick bread, which means it uses baking powder instead of yeast to help it rise.

The original scone was round and flat, usually the size of a medium size plate. It was made with unleavened oats and baked on a griddle (or girdle, in Scots), then cut into triangle-like quadrants for serving. Today, many would call the large round cake a bannock, and call the quadrants scones. In Scotland, the words are often used interchangeably.

When baking powder became available to the masses, scones began to be the oven-baked, well-leavened items we know today. Modern scones are widely available in British and Irish bakeries, grocery stores, and supermarkets. A 2005 market report estimated the UK scone market to be worth £64m, ($104 million) showing a 9% increase over the previous five years. The increase is partly due to an increasing consumer preference for impulse and convenience foods.

-Wikipedia  

I've always pronounced them  like the word "cone," but apparently in Europe they pronounce it more like "Sconn." But this is 'Merica! We take words and make up our own pronunciations any way we want!

Whatever you call em, I call it the perfect baked goodie for a breakfast or afternoon tea. And with these made with eggnog instead of whipping cream, they are great for a Christmas morning treat or a Winter afternoon tea.  The scone has a nice hint of eggnog aroma, without being overpowering.

Give these a try and let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup eggnog
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Eggnog & Sugar for sprinkling


Preheat oven to 400º

In a medium bowl, mix the flour sugar baking powder and salt. 

Add the butter...

And cut the butter into the flour mix with with one of those
pasty cutter/ dough blender thingies, till you get coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center of the mix and set it aside.

In another medium bowl, mix the beaten eggs, eggnog and blueberries.
Then pour the whole thing all at once into the dry mix.

Mix everything together with a fork until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it 10-12 times.

Form the dough into a disc about 1 inch thick.
Use a wet knife and cut the disc into wedges.

Place the wedges onto a lightly buttered baking sheet.
Brush the tops with more eggnog and sprinkle with sugar.
I used a coarse "turbinado" sugar for this, but use whatever you have.

Bake the scones in a 400º oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown on the top.
Remove them from the baking sheet and serve them warm with butter.

 Enjoy!