CHERRY SCONES WITH WHIPPED MAPLE BUTTER

Cherry Scones with Whipped Maple Butter image

These scones are worthy of the Italian Amarena cherries that go in them. The light, golden and buttery dough lets the cherries shine. The pairing of cherries and orange is classic, so I dropped in a quick recipe for an orange marmalade that is done in a matter of minutes and will appeal to even the anti-marmalade crowd.

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 35m

Yield 12 scones

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 cup very cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1 cup Amarena cherries in syrup, drained (from two 8-ounce containers)
1 medium navel orange (8 ounces), cut into large chunks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

For the scones: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Whisk together the heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl; set aside.
Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal. Transfer to a large bowl, add the cherries and toss until the cherries are coated. Pour in the heavy cream mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined.
Lightly flour a work surface and dump the dough onto it. Pat out the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle and cut into 12 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the lined baking sheet with a spatula, brush the tops generously with cream and sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake until puffed and golden brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
For the marmalade: Combine the orange and granulated sugar in a food processor and process until finely pureed. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set into a large bowl filled with ice water. Stir until the marmalade is cooled to room temperature.
For the maple butter: Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.
Serve the scones with the maple butter and marmalade.