Recipe: Basic scones

Total time: 50 minutes, plus cooling time

Servings: 8

Note: If you’d like to add any flavorings to your scones, it’s best to add the flavorings after cutting in the butter and before stirring in the liquid.

3 cups (12¾ ounces) flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cup cold buttermilk, milk or cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons turbinado or coarse decorating sugar

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk just until incorporated; the dough will be crumbly and look dry. Knead in the bowl a few times to bring the dough together into a single mass.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press into a circle roughly 7 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 8 wedges, and place the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Brush the wedges with the cream and sprinkle over the turbinado sugar. Bake on the center rack until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the scones to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Each servings: 321 calories; 6 grams protein; 44 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 37 mg cholesterol; 9 grams sugar; 498 mg sodium.