Pomegranate Cream Scones

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with candy kisses and tryptophan dreams. I enjoyed a wonderful time with family and friends and a fabulous mix of traditional Thanksgiving and awesome Ghanian dishes. A couple of days ago I got to leave work early. I cleaned and did stuff around the house (including watching Romy and Michele's in preparation for my night tomorrow), but then I was restless. I can never sit still so I decided to bake something. I realized that I hadn't made scones in a while and all of a sudden, I had a strong urge to make them. There is something about cutting butter into flour that is really comforting to me. I know, I am weird, but anyway...on to the scones. They are similar to the pound cake in that the juicy bits of pomegranate are so tasty throughout a fluffy and moist scone. This time I used lemon zest because I had a couple of lemons that were thisclose to going bad. This was a fabulously easy pomegranate recipe and I really love baking with those juicy seeds. The scones were moist and flaky and the vanilla sugar on top added a nice crunch. I really hope you are staying in somewhere nice and warm (versus being out in the crazy shopping day). If you are out and about celebrating Black Friday, I hope you are getting some wonderful deals. Happy Friday!

PS, Since I am away from my regular computer, it may take me a little longer to reply to comments, but I AM reading them and please know they are much appreciated as always!!



Pomegranate Cream Scones

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds from a POM Wonderful fresh pomegranate
1 large egg
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, plus extra for brushing
Vanilla sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in lemon zest and pomegranate seeds.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and the cream together with a fork. Add to the flour mixture and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough into a round, about 1-inch thick. Cut into equal sized wedges. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.