APRICOT ALMOND SCONES

Apricot Almond Scones image

Provided by Carla Rollins

Categories Bread Milk/Cream Food Processor Fruit Breakfast Brunch Bake Kid-Friendly Quick & Easy Apricot Almond Gourmet Small Plates

Yield Makes 8 scones

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

For apricot swirl
1/2 cup dried apricots (2 3/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Disaronno Amaretto
2 tablespoons sliced almonds with skins (1/2 ounce)
For scones
2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 1/2 ounces pure almond paste (1/3 cup)
4 tablespoons sliced almonds with skins (1 ounce)
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Steps:

Make apricot swirl:
Simmer apricots and water in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Add brown sugar and Amaretto and pulse to a coarse purée. Add almonds and pulse once or twice to coarsely chop nuts.
Transfer purée to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Make scones:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in cleaned food processor, then crumble almond paste and add to processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons almonds.
Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and almond extract in a 2-cup glass measure, then reserve 2 tablespoons buttermilk mixture for brushing on scones. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in remaining buttermilk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add apricot purée and stir once or twice to distribute without incorporating fully. (Dough will be wet.)
Transfer dough with floured hands to a well-floured surface, then turn dough to coat with flour and pat into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Carefully transfer dough to lined baking sheet and cut into 8 equal wedges with a floured knife, leaving wedges together. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firm, about 30 minutes, before cutting.)
Brush top and sides with reserved buttermilk mixture and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons almonds. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a scone comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 minutes and cut wedges to separate. Serve warm or at room temperature.