By JONATHON HARTIG for the Flathead Beacon

A scone has always been one of my favorite baked goods. The combination of flaky, buttery dough, sugar topping and fresh fruit leaves little else to be desired. After trying many variations, this is the best scone recipe I have found. The key to scones is in the process. Be sure to ‘cut-in’ the cold butter with a pastry cutter (the chunks of butter will steam in the hot oven and act as a leavener for your scones).

It’s also important not to over mix the dough, (a little extra flour on the table or in the dough itself is nothing to worry about). Finally, try new combinations. Use an alternative fruit, like blueberries, add a little lemon zest and a pinch of ground ginger to the sugar topping, or try it with fresh pineapple and a lime-coconut topping. The combinations are endless.

For Scones

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ tsp. Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp. Salt
• ½ cup Butter, cold and cut into pieces
• ¾ cup Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt)
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 cup Strawberries, sliced

For Sugar Topping

• ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Butter, melted and cooled

For Icing

• 1 Tbsp. Butter, softened
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• ¾ cup Powdered Sugar
• 3 tsp. Half & Half (or milk)

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Using a pastry cutter, cut cold butter into dry mix until pea to marble size pieces of butter remain. Put in refrigerator.
3. Mix sour cream, egg and vanilla in bowl until homogenous.
4. Fold egg mixture into dry mix gently, turning bowl after each fold. Mix should be dry and excess flour should remain.
5. Pour out onto work surface and gather dough together with your hands. Using a rolling pin or your hands, gently form dough to about ½” thickness. Pour half of strawberries onto half of dough. Fold other half on top and gently roll out again. Pour second half of strawberries on top and repeat by folding the dough in half.
6. Once the strawberries are incorporated, shape the dough into a circle, approximately 8” in diameter and 1-2” thick.
7. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour or overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
9. Slice scone dough into eight wedges and spread apart, leaving about one inch between each scone.
10. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over each wedge.
11. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Scones are finished when they a lightly golden browned.
12. Let cool on pan for 5-10 minutes, then on wire rack or cool sheet pan.
13. For the icing, mix butter, vanilla and sugar together. Add only as much liquid as needed for a pourable glaze. Let scones cool completely before drizzling icing on top.

Jonathon Hartig is the Executive Sous Chef/Instructional Assistant at The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College. For more information about the program, visit www.culinaryinstituteofmt.com.