Cranberry-Almond Scones

Makes: 8 to 10

Time: About 40 minutes

This is the unrestrained version of the classic English scone. Not only are these scones sweeter; they’re also more amenable to mix-ins and variations than their polished counterparts. Using cake flour will give you a more delicate crumb.

• 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour, plus more for shaping
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ½–¾ cup cream or milk, plus more for brushing

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ⅓ cup of the sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture, breaking it into tiny pieces with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Fold in the cranberries and almonds.

2. Beat the vanilla with the egg; add the egg to the flour mixture along with just enough cream to form a slightly sticky dough. If the dough is very sticky, add a tiny bit of flour; the dough should still stick a little to your hands.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, then press it into a ¾-inch-thick circle; cut across the diameter into 8 or 10 wedges.

4. Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream, sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar, and transfer one by one to an ungreased baking sheet with a spatula. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the scones are golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool a bit and serve right away if possible.

ROCK CAKE SCONES Rustic scones for rushed days: Don’t bother shaping the dough; just spoon golf-ball-sized mounds onto an ungreased baking sheet.

RICOTTA SCONES Ricotta adds moisture and tang to these scones: Substitute ½ cup whole-milk ricotta for the cream, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or cream to thin it out a bit.

OATMEAL-RAISIN SCONES Omit the almonds and swap in raisins for the cranberries. Substitute rolled oats for ¾ cup of the flour. If you like, top the scones with Cinnamon Glaze.

MAPLE-CINNAMON SCONES Sweet and spicy, these scones are pure comfort: Omit the cranberries and almonds. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the flour mixture. Whisk 3 tablespoons maple syrup into the cream.

LEMON-CREAM SCONES Add 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to the flour mixture. Whisk 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice into the cream. If you like, top the scones with Creamy Lemon Glaze.

PEACH MELBA SCONES Turn this classic sundae into breakfast: Increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons. Substitute ⅓ cup chopped peach and ⅓ cup raspberries for the cranberries and almonds.

SPICED WALNUT SCONES Whisk 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves into the flour. Swap chopped walnuts for the almonds; omit the cranberries.

HONEY-LAVENDER SCONES Omit the cranberries and almonds; whisk 1 tablespoon culinary-grade dried lavender buds into the flour mixture. Reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons and whisk ¼ cup honey into the cream. Serve with Lemon Curd.

5 Undeniably Good Flavor Combinations for Scones

• Blueberry and grated lemon zest
• Pear and chopped candied ginger
• Blackberry and grated orange zest
• Almond and any chopped dried fruit: fig, cherry, apricot
• Chopped chocolate and walnut

Making Scones

Press the dough into a ¾-inch-thick circle and cut into 8 or 10 wedges. Brush the top with cream and then sprinkle with sugar before baking.